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Policy & Regulation

Coal to limit South Africa’s gas ambitions

The finished version of the country’s Integrated Resource Plan will see coal continue to dominate the national power sector The finished version of the country’s Integrated Resource Plan will see coal continue to dominate the national power sector.
By Leigh Elston 24 October 2019 Middle East & Africa / Policy & Regulation 0 34716
South African Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe. (GovernmentZA)

South Africa’s long-awaited Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) was published on 18 October. The final version of the IRP sharply reduces the role of gas in power generation from that seen in the draft document published in early 2018.

Speaking at the IRP's launch, South African Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe confirmed coal will continue to dominate the country’s energy mix in the future. This is despite the huge environmental costs of coal, the unreliability of the country’s ageing coal fleet and the reality that it will be...