Browsing by Author "Richards, Nichola Deborah McCulloch"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Beyond resistance? exploring dynamics of incumbency in South Africa's power sector reform
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-03) Richards, Nichola Deborah McCulloch; Davies, Megan; Mohlakoana, Nthabiseng; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. Centre for Sustainability Transition.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY: This traditional academic thesis evaluates South Africa’s process of power sector reform and highlights the dynamics of incumbency throughout this process. The role of incumbents as significant actors in socio-technical energy systems is a growing focus in sustainability transitions literature. This can be attributed to dynamics in the global energy transition and the work of incumbents, either subverting, stalling, or accelerating transition processes. Incumbents are generally understood to delay and resist energy transitions, while defending socio-technical regimes, in which they have vested interests. The literature on power sector reform is a useful complement to understanding the configuration and transformation of socio-technical energy systems and energy transitions. This thesis is guided by the question, what insights about incumbency in South Africa’s socio-technical energy transition could be generated from an evaluation of power sector reform in the country? The research seeks to understand the role of incumbents in transition processes, with a focus on South Africa’s political economy of energy. The analysis of the country’s energy transition pays close attention to the role of Eskom the vertically integrated national electricity utility, often regarded as the incumbent blocking rapid transformation of the power sector. South Africa’s power sector provides a useful case study of incumbents’ interactions and role in energy transitions. On one hand, the country has a heavily coal reliant power system and an aging coal-fired fleet of power stations, and on the other hand, abundant renewable energy resources. This positions South Africa well to take advantage of the global energy transition, yet the transition remains slow and contested. The investigation into the role of the incumbent is thus situated in this transitional space between the potential to transitions and the slow contested nature of the transition. Power sector reform processes are mapped between 1998 and 2022, using grey literature from Eskom and three legislatively relevant government institutions. This is done by mapping the four dimensions of reforms, regulation, unbundling and corporatisation, private sector participation and competition. This process is then evaluated, and dynamics of incumbency are highlighted throughout. This research inquiry into South Africa’s power sector reform and role of incumbents is triangulated by interviews with energy sector experts, industry specialists, activists, and academics. The research in this thesis demonstrates that Eskom’s incumbent positionality has shifted throughout the process of power sector reform, resulting in a diffusion of incumbent characteristics throughout the electricity supply industry. While Eskom has resisted aspects of the energy transition, the utility is not alone in this, South Africa’s power sector is mired in a web of incumbency that is broader than the state-owned utility. This examination of incumbency in South Africa’s power sector indicated that in some instances Eskom has moved beyond resistance and showed support for aspects of reforms. Finally, the experience of power sector reforms in the global south with a focus on an incumbent utility, highlights the importance of the political economy and context. Thus, to support a sustainability orientated transition, policy makers, activists, academics and civil society need to consider the dynamics of incumbency, beyond Eskom in South Africa’s power sector, and wider energy transition.