A total of 332 generation and storage projects with a combined nameplate of 31.7 GW have either received budget quotes for grid connection in South Africa or have budget-quote applications pending for grid connection before 2030, a newly publicly available online portal shows.

Of that, nearly 24 GW is made up of 204 advanced projects (mostly in the form of variable renewables projects) that are seeking to be connected to the grid over the coming five years.

Produced by the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA), the 'Generation Customer Connection Data Dashboard' first became publicly available in December. It will be updated periodically, with the current edition offering a snapshot of the situation as of November 18, 2025.

The projects are not named, but the dashboard offers details of the technologies involved, with solar PV being the dominant technology seeking grid connection, as well as a geographical breakdown of the capacity, with the Free State leading with 4.2 GW across 31 projects.

The dashboard includes projects with budget quotes that are already operational (128 projects, with a capacity of 7.6 GW); those in execution (67 projects, with a capacity of 5.7 GW); projects that have been issued with budget quotes for grid connection (23 projects with a capacity of 2.8 GW); and those that have formally applied for budget quotes for grid connection (114 projects with a capacity of 15.4 GW).

Taken together, grid-connected projects that are operational, in execution or that have budget quotes issued for finalisation represent a combined capacity of 16.2 GW across 218 individual projects.

The NTCSA has purposely included only projects with budget quotes approved or pending. This because such projects are either operational or considered shovel-ready, with project originators making the financial commitment associated with applying for a quote to be grid connected only once their project has undergone a detailed engineering design and secured the other approvals needed to proceed to construction.

A separate South African Renewable Energy Grid Survey (SAREGS), which is published yearly, incorporates a far larger sample, including projects at a far less advanced stage. The 2025 edition of SAREGS indicated there was 220 GW of renewables project capacity at various stages of development, and those with budget-quote applications would represent the most advanced of such projects.

The NTCSA dashboard shows that budget quotes have been granted for operational projects that include the technologies of wind, solar PV, concentrated solar power, landfill gas, hydro, gas, biomass, and hybrid projects.

Those in execution or that have quotes issued, meanwhile, also include battery storage and nuclear, with the nuclear representing the additional capacity being introduced as part of Koeberg's life extension.

Solar PV is the dominant technology represented, with 15.2 GW of capacity across all categories, including 3 GW of operational capacity; a figure that excludes South Africa's estimated installed base of rooftop or behind-the-metre solar of some 7 GW.

The dashboard shows that there are grid-connection budget quotes being assessed for a further 68 solar PV projects with a combined capacity of 8.3 GW, mostly located in the Free State, Limpopo and North West provinces. The lion's share, or 5.2 GW, of that solar PV capacity could be introduced in 2027 should grid connections be secured.

Wind also features prominently, with a total of 79 projects with a combined capacity of 9.6 GW reflected across all categories, including 12 projects representing 2.3 GW with budget-quote applications submitted. Most of this wind capacity is either operating or under development in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces.

A budget-quote application for 3 GW of gas-to-power, presumably linked to Eskom's proposed project in Richards Bay, in KwaZulu-Natal, is also reflected on the dashboard, as is 2.1 GW of battery storage across 20 projects, including 15 projects, mostly in the Free State and North West, with budget quotes under development.

The NTCSA stresses that the dashboard has published for general information purposes only, and is subject to change without notice.

Nevertheless, it could emerge as a key tool for developers and electricity system analysts, as it provides a comprehensive view of what is actually committed into the grid through the budget-quote process.

It may also offer some insight into the potential grid congestion pinch points when assessed against the NTCSA's Generation Connection Capacity Assessment, as well as the capacity gaps that may be emerging.

From a planning perspective, the Generation Customer Connections Data Dashboard could also offer a tool for comparing what is actually being developed (and at what pace) relative to the Integrated Resource Plan, which provides an assessment of what the system requires to ensure security of supply.