Eskom is trying to court private investment in the energy sector.

The embattled utility met with top business leaders of some 70 private institutions on Friday. The session was led by the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and Business Leadership SA.

According to Eskom’s boss André de Ruyter the purpose of these ongoing discussions is to identify initiatives where the parties can collaborate and plant the seeds of opportunity to leverage private sector investment capacity and harvest the low hanging fruit in the electricity industry.

At least four areas have been identified where business can make an impactful contribution. It includes investing in own-generation projects and Independent Power Producers (IPPs) through land leasing and wheeling arrangements as well as contribute to the development and alignment of policies related to the fiscus and environmental, energy and industrial sectors.

Similar engagements are expected to extended to be held with business in Cape Town and Durban.