Share

Updated energy plans to be open for public comment - cabinet

Cape Town – Long-awaited and outdated energy plans will soon be in the public eye for input into the future of South Africa's energy needs.

Cabinet has officially approved the Integrated Energy Plan (IEP) and Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), which will give guidance on the country’s energy infrastructure development and type of energy generation respectively, it said in a statement on Thursday. 

The IEP, which is anchored in the National Energy Act of 2008, will be published for public discussion to give stakeholders and interested parties the chance to engage with it.  

Integrated energy planning is necessary to make sure that current and future energy service needs can be met in the most efficient manner, in a way which benefits society the most. It also controls costs and serves national needs such as poverty alleviation and job creation, while helping to minimise any adverse impact on the environment.

The IEP provides a long-term vision of how South Africa can make optimum use of energy to remain competitive, which inherently requires a shift in how various energy resources are used.

The IRP will also be subjected to public consultation on base case and assumptions.

A number of developments have effected the energy sector since the initial IRP of 2010.

“The IRP update process balances a number of objectives to ensure security of supply so as to minimise the cost of electricity, to promote job creation and localisation, to minimise negative environmental impacts, minimise water use and to diversify supply sources.”

The first milestone, which is the compilation of assumptions to be used in the IRP, has been reached, pending public consultation. 

The second milestone on the development of the base case, which is a least cost plan, has been completed. 

The third milestone, which is a scenario analysis, is under way, while the fourth milestone is policy adjustment.

READ: Treasury: Nuclear can’t undermine fiscal integrity

In the statement Cabinet also officially announced that Eskom will be the owner operator and procurer for nuclear power plants for a nuclear build programme in South Africa, ending weeks of speculation on the matter. 

The decision to task Eskom with the build programme was in accordance with the Nuclear Energy Policy of 2008. 

Cabinet amended its decision of June 10 2015 to designate the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) as the implementing agent for the nuclear new build programme. At the time this decision allowed Eskom to focus on the Medupi, Kusile and Ingula projects and the energy challenges the country was experiencing.

According to the statement, Eskom has more than 30 years of experience in the safe operation of the Koeberg nuclear power plant, Africa's only nuclear power plant, and has been developing the environmental impact assessment and nuclear site safety reports for possible nuclear power plants since 2007.

READ: Nuclear plan on ice as Eskom may take ownership 

Cabinet also approved designating Necsa as the owner operator and procurer for nuclear fuel cycle and multi-purpose reactors.

The Department of Energy will continue to act on its mandate as the policy setting and coordinating department of the nuclear build programme, Cabinet said. 

Read Fin24's top stories trending on Twitter:


We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
19.00
-0.5%
Rand - Pound
23.95
-0.2%
Rand - Euro
20.50
-0.2%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.34
+0.1%
Rand - Yen
0.13
-0.5%
Platinum
895.30
-0.2%
Palladium
991.47
-1.0%
Gold
2,194.13
-0.0%
Silver
24.44
-0.8%
Brent-ruolie
86.09
-0.2%
Top 40
67,910
+0.3%
All Share
74,134
+0.3%
Resource 10
56,271
+1.1%
Industrial 25
103,558
+0.3%
Financial 15
16,498
-0.2%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders