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- R24 million battery investment strengthens Kouga’s electricity network
- Project tackles costly peak-demand penalties and protects essential infrastructure
- DA-led innovation creates a stronger platform for investment, jobs and growth
The DA-led Kouga Municipality is investing in a future where electricity infrastructure supports growing communities, attracts investment, and gives businesses the confidence to expand. The new R24 million battery energy storage system in St Francis Bay, the first municipal-scale installation in Kouga, is a practical step towards that future.
This investment builds on a record of practical innovation under DA leadership. Kouga uses acoustic technology to find hidden underground water leaks, advanced purification plants to make greater use of borehole water, and a real-time service delivery dashboard to monitor customer care. The battery project brings that same problem-solving approach to electricity, using technology to protect resources and improve services.
The system stores electricity procured from Eskom during lower-cost periods and supplies it to the network when demand and Eskom’s tariffs are high. This will help the municipality manage its electricity purchases more efficiently and reduce costly penalties incurred when St Francis Bay exceeds its allocated electricity demand.
In the 2024/25 financial year alone, those penalties amounted to approximately R3.2 million. That is money we want working for our communities. By investing in battery storage, we are addressing the pressure behind these costs while building an asset that will serve Kouga for years to come.
The approximately R24 million investment includes the battery system, the associated infrastructure upgrades, and the work required to integrate it with Kouga’s existing electricity network.
Commissioning was successfully completed in September, confirming that the system is ready to perform its demand-management functions. By supplying stored electricity during peak periods, the battery will help ease the strain on transformers, cables, and other network infrastructure, reducing the risk of overloads and interruptions.
For residents, this means a municipality investing in the reliability of essential services. For businesses, it means infrastructure better equipped to support growth. For Kouga, it creates a platform for future renewable energy integration and takes us further toward reducing our reliance on Eskom.
Our ambition reaches beyond this installation. We want to use the experience and performance data from St Francis Bay to guide future energy investments across Kouga, making informed decisions about where public money can deliver the greatest benefit.
This is the work residents make possible when they elect a DA government. Practical solutions, responsible investment, and the determination to keep improving.
A renewed mandate for the DA will let us build on this progress and keep investing in the infrastructure, services, and opportunities our communities need.
Vote DA to keep Kouga working for all.