Artificial intelligence, smart meters and data systems are critical to SA’s future energy security and grid resilience. (Image created via ChatGPT)
South Africa’s energy future will increasingly depend on digitalisation, with technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), smart meters and predictive maintenance systems used to transform how electricity is generated, distributed and managed.
This is according to Thabo Kekana, deputy DG of energy programmes and projects at the Department of Electricity and Energy, speaking yesterday at the Enlit Africa 2026 conference.
Addressing delegates under the theme: “Compounding impact: Small changes, outsize outcomes”, Kekana positioned digitalisation as one of the most important enablers of energy security, grid stability and industrial growth across SA and the African continent.
Kekana framed digitalisation as one of the “three Ds” shaping the future energy landscape alongside decarbonisation and decentralisation.
He described digitalisation as the “nervous system” of the modern electricity grid, noting the future energy system would rely heavily on data-driven infrastructure and intelligent network management.
“Artificial intelligence, digital twins, smart meters, secure platforms and data-driven maintenance can improve demand forecasting, loss detection, fault anticipation, renewable integration dispatch and customer service.
“But let us be clear: AI cannot substitute generation capacity, the algorithm cannot replace transmission lines, dashboards cannot repair our transformers. Technology compounds impact when joined to infrastructure, skills and institutions.”
According to Kekana, digitalisation must not deepen Africa’s dependence on imported technologies, but instead become a platform for industrialisation and sovereign digital capability.
“Therefore, Africa must build a sovereign digital capability through its engineers, software developers, data governance, cyber security standards and innovation ecosystems.
“Digitalisation must become a platform for Africa’s industrial capability, not a new technological dependency. South Africa can play a key role in the Africa data centre economy, supported by our renewable potential, transmission infrastructure, fibre connectivity, industrial capability and continental market integration.”
Kekana said the department’s distribution reform plans would place smart metering and data management at the centre of efforts to modernise municipal electricity systems and improve reliability.
He also congratulated Eskom on surpassing 365 days without load-shedding. Kekana noted that while load-shedding had eased nationally, load-reduction remains a “serious expression of distribution failure”, particularly in underserved communities.
“We will expand smart metering, improve our asset registers, reduce technical and non-technical losses, support our distressed municipalities, and ensure the recovery of the national grid is felt in all townships, rural villages, industrial parks and inner cities.
“A smart meter protects revenue, manages demand, generates data, reduces theft and improves reliability. This is compounding impact in practice.”
Kekana added that one properly used dataset could fundamentally shift utilities away from reactive maintenance models towards predictive operations.
“Energy security is not accidental; it is designed through generation adequacy, transmission capacity, distribution discipline, market rules, pricing reforms, institutional capability and investment confidence.”
Kekana also highlighted the growing importance of data centres and AI-driven industries in Africa’s future economy, saying they require secure and reliable electricity systems.
He noted SA is well-positioned to support the continent’s growing digital infrastructure market due to its energy resources, grid infrastructure and industrial capability.
“Data centres and AI-driven industries will depend on energy certainty. The opportunity is continental. Africa must be both a market for digital infrastructure and a producer for the energy, skills, technologies and innovation ecosystem that powers it.”
He added that properly integrated data centres could help accelerate investment in renewable energy, transmission expansion, wheeling frameworks and battery storage systems.
“We therefore see data centres as a growth opportunity and not a burden. Properly integrated, they can accelerate investment in new generation capacity, new transmission, cleaner energy through renewables, storage, wheeling and green power products. The energy transition must not become a new import dependency.”
Innovative technology will be critical in supporting a more distributed and flexible energy system that includes rooftop solar, embedded generation, micro-grids and private power purchase agreements, he concluded.
