Country snapshot · East Africa
South Sudan
Solar added each year
Ember estimates of all solar (utility-scale, distributed and off-grid), MW. 2026 is Ember’s full-year estimate.
View as tableHide table
| Year | MW | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2.1 | Ember estimate |
| 2024 | 5.6 | Ember estimate |
| 2025 | 6.4 | Ember estimate |
| 2026E | 4.4 | Ember estimate, full year |
0.0% of Africa’s estimated 2026 solar additions (4.4 of 17,449.4 MW).1
Who has electricity
Share of people with access to electricity, 2024: rural and urban.
View as tableHide table
| Area | Access | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Rural | 0.7% | 2024 |
| Urban | 22.8% | 2024 |
| National | 5.4% | 2024 |
World Bank WDI, 2024.2
How reliable is the grid for business?
Firms experiencing electrical outages (2024 survey), compared with Sub-Saharan Africa and the world.3,4N6
68.4% (2024 survey) · Sub-Saharan Africa 72.4% · World 47.5% (2025)
The rules for small-scale generationN2,N7
Export rules: None found
- Regulator
- No operational regulator; Ministry of Energy and Dams acts as regulator
- Main utility
- SSEC; JEDCO (Juba distribution)
Export rulesNone found. The National Electricity Bill 2015 has not been enacted.5High confidenceShow detail
None found. The National Electricity Bill 2015 has not been enacted
How exports are creditedNone foundShow detail
None found
Size limits and licensingNone found. Generation licences required under the 2012 Act once the regulator is operational.5Medium confidenceShow detail
None found. Generation licences are required under the 2012 Act once ERA is operational
Mini-grid rulesNone found. Isolated state and donor mini-grids operate without a specific regime.5High confidenceShow detail
None found. Isolated state/donor mini-grids exist without a specific regime
Market access beyond the utilityNo rule found. In practice, a Juba IPP/PPP (Ezra solar, 26 MWp in 2023, plus 20 MWp in early 2025).5High confidenceShow detail
None found as a rule. In practice, a Juba IPP/PPP (Ezra 26 MWp in 2023, +20 MWp in early 2025)
Aggregation / VPP rulesNone foundShow detail
None found
“None found” means we could not locate a rule in public sources reviewed to 10 October 2026, not that one cannot exist.
Recent developments
Dated developments, 2024–2026.
- Sep 2025
Presidential order cut Juba tariffs and restructured JEDCO to 60% government ownership via SSEC.6
The full report
This is a snapshot. The full story is in Africa’s Invisible Grid.
The full analysis, with 17 exhibits on the boom, the data gap, the economics and the four building blocks, is in Africa’s Invisible Grid.
