South Africans would have experienced a collective sense of déjà vu when Eskom confirmed that it is applying for hikes of 15% a year for the coming three-year tariff period, over and above what it has already been granted through Regulatory Clearing Account applications. This pattern has been repeated with painful regularity since 2008, when the State-owned utility began building new capacity. The problem this time round is that South Africans with means have real alternatives, as the cost of rooftop solar falls and as storage solutions become increasingly viable. Something has to give, as the chasm widens between what’s good for South Africa and what’s necessary for Eskom’s financial wellbeing.