In testimony before parliament March 31, South African Deputy President David Mabuza gave perhaps the most solid declaration to date of the nation’s commitment to coal as an energy source. In answer to a (unspecified) question, Mabuza said, “Currently, there are no plans for the discontinuation of the use of coal, as 99% of South Africa’s electricity supply is derived from coal and 30% of liquid fuels are derived from the same commodity. Coal remains one of our largest natural endowments that will continue to form part of our energy mix in terms of the IRP [Integrated Resource Plan] 2019.” That same plan also includes a commitment to the use and expansion of nuclear power as another energy source.
Separately, Mabuza went even further, as reported the Sowetan Times, confirming, “that discussions between our Minister of Mineral Resources [Gwede Mantashe] and Mozambique are quite advanced in terms of gas that we should transport from Mozambique to the country.” This would involve the construction of a pipeline, another thing which greens are determined to prevent.
Currently, South Africa has four, multi-generator plants—all dating to the 1960s—set for decommissioning between now and 2025. The first, the Komati plant, located in the heart of the northeastern coal region, produces 990 MW of power, from nine separate boiler/generators. In total, the power capacity of the four units (all coal) is over 4,000 MW of power. While the IRP includes “plans” to replace this power, including “gasification” (conversion to natural gas) of several boilers, the leading wind/solar projects are only 100 MW, all privatized, and moving slowly. Eskom is hoping to use a big chunk of the (yet to materialize) $8.5 billion Just Transition funds—not to build—but to connect those diverse plants to the grid.
Without continued use of coal and gas — and an expansion of its nuclear base — it will never make it.
