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energy policy

A snapshot of the Integrated

Resource Plan 2019

By Jason van der Poel & Alexandra Felekis of Webber Wentzel

Coal
Coal will continue to play a significant
role in electricity generation as the
country has the resource in abundance.
The rate of decommissioning of Eskom’s
existing 16 coal-fired power plants is
set out in the table above. 1,500MW of
new coal-fired power will be procured by
2030. New investments will be directed
towards High Efficiency, Low Emissions
(HELE) technologies, underground coal
gasification and the development of
Carbon Capture and Storage.

Eskom will need to comply
with the minimum emissions
Gwede Mantashe, standard over time. There
South African Minister of Mineral must be a just transition
resources & Energy towards less carbon-emitting
technologies – workers and
communities in affected
n 18 October 2019, the South was the Integrated Resource Plan 2010 areas must - as far as possible
African Minister of Mineral (IRP 2010) promulgated in March 2011,
OResources and Energy, Gwede and such plans are intended to be updated - not be left worse off.
Mantashe (the Minister), held a media every two years.
briefing on the Integrated Resource Plan Since the promulgation of IRP 2010, a
2019 (IRP 2019) which was followed by total of 18 000 MW of new generation Nuclear
the publication of the IRP 2019. The capacity has been committed comprising Nuclear power is seen as a clean source
IRP 2019 supports a diverse energy mix 9,564 MW of coal power at Medupi of energy that can contribute significantly
and sets out nine policy interventions and Kusile, 1,333 MW of water pumped to the reduction of emissions. Though
to ensure the security of South Africa’s storage at Ingula, 6,422 MW of renewable the Minister mentioned a move towards
electricity supply. energy by independent power producers small modular reactors, IRP 2019
We set out below a brief background to (IPPs), and 1,005 MW of Open Cycle Gas provides only for the procurement of an
the plan and the key takeaways. Turbine (OCGT) peaking plants currently additional 1,860MW of nuclear power
Background using diesel at Avon and Dedisa. to be commissioned by 2024, which
represents the 20 year extension of the
The Integrated Resource Plan is an life of the Koeberg nuclear power plant
electricity infrastructure development in Cape Town specifically. Nuclear power
plan based on the least-cost electricity The diverse energy mix will be procured at a pace, scale and cost
supply and demand balance, taking affordable to South Africa, taking into
into account security of supply and the supported by the IRP 2019 is account the rate of decommissioning
environment through the minimisation depicted in the table on the of coal-fired power. One of the nine
of negative emission and water use. It following page extracted from policy positions listed in IRP 2019 is for
is important because it is South Africa’s the IRP2019. the immediate commencement of a
plan for the procurement of generation nuclear build programme. At the time
capacity up to 2030. The last such plan of publication of this brief, the press has

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