This document provides written comments on South Africa’s Electricity Regulation Act (ERA) Amendment Bill, published 10 February 2022. These amendments are published at a time when the electricity sector faces unprecedented upheaval: loadshedding continues to hamper economic growth, tariffs are becoming unaffordable to citizens, and SA faces increasing climate-related risks posed by the carbon intensity of its electricity production. It is widely accepted that traditional policies, socio-technical paradigms, and market and institutional arrangements will not be an adequate basis for South Africa to map its way out of this crisis. New and innovative solutions are required. This is the context in which the proposed changes to the ERA should be evaluated. We comment on key areas that the Bill needs to be revised to ensure that it meets the needs of an electricity sector that needs to restructure, expand and decarbonise rapidly over the next decade.
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