South Africa’s Eskom targets data centre ‘gold rush’ for its power surplus
South Africa's power surplus is suddenly valuable. Eskom is positioning itself as a data-center hub for AI compute.
Why it matters
A state utility with stranded capacity is actively courting AI infrastructure investment. This is a geopolitical and geographic shift in where compute buildouts happen — regional power gluts becoming AI factory sites.
The key facts
8 to knowEskom (South Africa state utility) has surplus power after ending blackouts
Chair explicitly targeting data-center 'gold rush' for monetization
Power that cannot be sold domestically is now a strategic asset for AI compute
Reflects global pattern: regional power availability reshaping data-center geography
Eskom chair signals 'power that we cannot sell' after resolving blackout crisis
State-owned utility positioning for data-center sector expansion
South Africa offers stable grid capacity amid global AI compute buildout competition
Geopolitical angle: alternative to US/China/EU data-center concentration
Go to the source
Financial Times Technologyft.com
Publisher excerpt: Chair says state-owned utility has ‘power that we cannot sell’ after ending years of blackouts