Mar 11, 2026 (Scrolla/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) --
Eskom chairman Mteto Nyati told the Biznews Conference 2026 in Hermanus that rooftop solar is leaving Eskom with spare electricity during the day. Eskom wants to sell spare electricity to Bitcoin miners at a lower price and plans to cut R112-billion in costs.
Eskom chairman Mteto Nyati says the power utility wants to sell its spare daytime electricity to Bitcoin mining companies in South Africa.
Nyati shared the plan at the Biznews Conference 2026 in Hermanus. He said Eskom often has extra electricity during the day because more homes and businesses now use rooftop solar panels.
Electricity demand is usually high in the morning when people get ready for work. But it drops later in the day as solar systems start generating power.
To make better use of that spare capacity, Eskom wants to sell the extra electricity to Bitcoin mining companies at a lower price.
Nyati said industries like Bitcoin mining use a lot of electricity and are helping to increase global demand for power. He said such technologies did not exist 20 years ago but are now creating new chances for energy providers.
Eskom CEO Dan Marokane has also spoken about the utility exploring Bitcoin mining, artificial intelligence and data centres to support future growth.
Nyati said Eskom must adapt as South Africa's energy market becomes more competitive. Private companies are now entering the generation and distribution sectors.
He said Eskom is working to improve its services and bring down costs. The utility wants to cut R112-billion in expenses over the next five years to help lower electricity prices.
Nyati said South Africa still needs a strong Eskom to provide reliable base-load electricity from its coal and nuclear power stations to support economic growth.
COMTEX_475059573/2029/2026-03-11T09:34:08
by Rorisang Modiba
Copyright 2026 Scrolla. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).
