Organisations team up to ensure coal-free energy plan

The Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity has to pass constitutional muster if the energy department doesn’t want to land up in court, they say.

Four organisations are joining forces to take on the long-promised Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity (IRP) if it contains any proposals for new coal-powered electricity generation stations.

Life After Coal/Impilo Ngaphandle Kwamalahle – a joint campaign by Earthlife Africa Johannesburg, groundWork and the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) – and Greenpeace Africa, have jointly stated the IRP has to pass constitutional muster if the department of energy doesn’t want to land up in court.

“We are not afraid to take the department of energy to court if the updated IRP ignores the provisions made in the constitution,” said Earthlife Africa director Makoma Lekalakala.

“We were successful in halting the nuclear deal and we will fight again if necessary.”

Minister of Energy Jeff Radebe said on Wednesday the long-awaited “policy-adjusted IEP, IRP, liquid fuels and gas master plans” would be submitted to parliament by August.

Anger over the nuclear deal, distrust over any nuclear build, court battles over independent power producers and the ongoing problems at Eskom have all combined to keep SA in limbo since 2011, when the last IRP was promulgated – and it is supposed to be updated every two years.

“If the IRP forces in new coal investments, then that would be irrational,” said Greenpeace Africa’s senior climate and energy campaign manager Melita Steele. “New renewable energy, in particular solar energy and wind, is coming in cheaper than new coal and new nuclear and simply from a cost basis, it’s irrational.”

Eskom produces 44 145 MW from various sources and mixes of coal, nuclear, wind and solar farms. It recently brought 27 independent power producers on board as well, all of which has led to an oversupply.

Eskom’s stability is under threat from low coal supplies. However, it has guaranteed it will keep the lights on this winter, even if it means running its expensive diesel generators.

With coal-fired power stations approaching end of life, the idea of recommissioning old technology does not make sense to Steele.

“Given South Africa’s exceptionally high contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions, the potentially catastrophic implications of climate change and South Africa’s particular vulnerability to such impacts, we need urgent steps to ensure a rapid transition away from coal and towards publicly owned renewable energy, combined with serious efforts to improve energy efficiency,” said CER’s pollution and climate change programme head, Robyn Hugo.

“The minister must give serious consideration to the negative impacts of the coal supply chain and combustion on human health, the environment, global climate change, and the economy.”

– amandaw@citizen.co.za

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