A survey released by PwC found that power utility companies and stakeholders are optimistic about their sector’s prospects‚ despite widespread power shortages in many countries including South Africa. Fifty one senior power and utility sector executives from 15 African countries took part in PwC’s Africa power and utilities survey.They reported continued concern about some of the immediate risks to the power system‚ but were also optimistic about the longer term prospects for electricity in Africa.“Two thirds (67%) of those we interviewed cited aging or badly maintained infrastructure as a high or very high concern. Encouragingly‚ many felt this situation would improve‚ with only 39% predicting that it would be a similarly high or very high concern in five years’ time‚” PwC said.Looking ahead to 2025‚ the executives anticipate definite step changes in a number of key issues.An overwhelming majority (96%) said there was a medium or high probability that load shedding would be the exception rather than the norm by 2025. Indeed‚ nearly three quarters (72%) were confident enough to rate that scenario as a high probability.About 94% said there was a medium or high probability that‚ by 2025‚ the challenge of finding a market design that could balance investment‚ affordability and access issues would have been largely solved.Seventy percent expect cross border electricity flows to be significant by 2025‚ accounting for a third or more of electricity generated.“There is much to be optimistic about and the results point the way to improvements ahead. But security of electricity supply and cost reflective tariffs continue to be the number one challenges‚” said Angeli Hoekstra‚ Africa power & utility leader‚ PwC.“Until they are resolved‚ power systems will remain stretched‚ as investments in the power sector will be limited. Addressing cost reflective tariffs while ensuring social equity is a key challenge.”The survey also highlighted the energy transformation that was taking place‚ as the market vision for the future would be a mixture of large scale centralised generation and local mini grid and off-grid distributed generation‚ according to the majority of survey participants (83%).This was supported by 70% of the survey respondents saying they believed there was a medium to high probability that advances and cost reductions in green renewable off-grid technology would deliver an exponential increase in rural electrification levels by 2025. And there was consensus that power companies would need to change their business models to respond to energy transformation‚ and 88% said they expected that future power utility business models would be transformed by 2030‚ with a quarter of them saying they would be unrecognisable from those operating today.“Technological and regulatory change and new investments presents very exciting opportunities to increase electrification access and electricity supply‚” Hoekstra said.“New businesses and business models will be created and Africa will leapfrog into a better and more sustainable energy future if all stakeholders in the sector‚ from customers to governments‚ new businesses‚ regulators and utilities will embrace the opportunity.”..