South Africa’s long-awaited electricity bill is expected to open up a wide range of legal work concerning energy-related disputes, finance work and corporate restructuring, although specifics about how the bill will work are still being finalized.
The Electricity Regulations Amendment Bill, approved by the South African National Council of Provinces on May 16, moves the nation closer to a liberalized electricity market, modernizing the country’s electricity supply industry and allowing independent power producers to buy and sell energy on the open market rather than Eskom, the utility that has been powering the nation since 1923. The next step is for President Cyril Ramaphosa to consider the bill before signing it into law.
