South Africa, China Sign Power Deals During BRICS Summit

KTT BRICS - JOHANNESBURG. South Africa and China on Wednesday signed deals covering emissions technology, electricity transmission and distribution, and nuclear power on the sidelines of the BRICS summit.

The agreements are part of the South African government's efforts to end record power cuts that are a major constraint on economic growth.

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said one of the deals would see Chinese companies share technology to help South Africa's struggling state utility Eskom cut emissions from its coal-fired power plants.

Other agreements would see Chinese firms help Eskom upgrade its power transmission and distribution infrastructure, and share expertise on nuclear power.

The summit of the BRICS group of emerging economies - comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - runs from Tuesday to Thursday in Johannesburg, South Africa's biggest city and commercial capital. BRICS members are seeking to use the summit to forge the grouping into a counterweight to Western dominance of global institutions.