'The Lights Stayed On’: Orania Powers Itself With Solar Through 13-Hour Eskom Outage

• Eskom switched off power to Orania in the Northern Cape on 19 March 2026 for planned substation maintenance that lasted over 13 hours
• The town of 3,000 residents relied entirely on its private solar and battery system, run by electricity company Orasol
• Residents were asked to cut their electricity use, but the town's energy system performed better than expected as the day went on

NORTHERN CAPE - Orania, a small whites-only Northern Cape town of about 3,000 residents, ran entirely on solar and battery power for more than 13 hours after Eskom cut its electricity supply on 19 March 2026 to carry out substation maintenance.

Eskom switched off power to the town at 4:30am and did not restore it until 6pm. For the entire duration, Orania relied on its private electricity company, Orasol, which operates a solar plant, rooftop panels on homes and businesses, and a battery energy storage system.

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Ahead of the outage, the town council urged residents and businesses to keep their electricity consumption as low as possible to protect the system from being overwhelmed. As the morning progressed and clear skies pushed solar generation higher than anticipated, the council updated its guidance and told residents they could use electricity freely.

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How Orania keeps the lights on

Orasol head Riaan Jacobs called it a "proud day" for Orania. The town council later acknowledged the cooperation of residents and businesses in keeping supply stable throughout the day.

Under normal conditions, Orasol's solar and battery system covers roughly 45% of Orania's total electricity needs. Its batteries can power the town for about two hours during peak demand or when solar generation drops.

Orania Movement representative Frans de Klerk noted that the system was built through private investment and community contributions, without government subsidies or taxpayer funding. He said it has given the town a degree of independence that matters most when Eskom struggles to maintain consistent supply.

Orania still buys from Eskom

Despite its investment in renewables, Orania has not fully cut ties with Eskom. The town still purchases electricity from the national grid when necessary and has an agreement allowing it to sell surplus power back to Eskom.

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It can also buy cheaper off-peak electricity to charge its batteries, then draw on stored power during more expensive peak periods.

Orania is exempt from load shedding, on the condition that it does not draw Eskom power during scheduled outages. The town has indicated it intends to expand its renewable energy capacity further to reduce its dependence on the national grid over time.

Hundreds of Orania properties up for sale

Briefly News reported that a social media debate erupted after an X user questioned why hundreds of Orania properties were listed for sale. The post asked whether the Northern Cape town remained a thriving community after spotting more than 300 listings. The discussion quickly spread across social media after people searched property websites themselves.

Source: Briefly News