Yesterday 19 October, Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa presented South Africa’s R2-trillion Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) to the media, stating that fossil fuels will continue to play a role as the country transitions to cleaner energy sources such as solar and wind. However, The Green Connection is concerned with this approach, arguing that a credible phase-out of fossil fuels must be clearly reflected in the plan. This means no new investments in oil, gas and coal.

According to Liz McDaid, Strategic Lead at The Green Connection, “The Minister introduced the country’s electricity plan, the IRP  during a media briefing. Unfortunately, the full document was not made available, and it appears the gazetted version will only be released at the end of the week.”

“The presentation itself was confusing. While it claims to focus on emission reductions and affordability, it seems to include significant allocations to gas-to-power and nuclear, both of which raise major concerns. Gas is harmful to the climate (it releases methane, which is up to 80 times more potent than CO₂ in terms of short‐term warming), and new nuclear could make electricity prohibitively expensive for South African consumers,” says The Green Connection’s Community Outreach Co-ordinator at, Neville van Rooy.

McDaid adds, “Although the inclusion of more renewable energy and storage is positive, it is worrying that no clear price path was presented. For years, government has announced large-scale energy infrastructure projects without sufficient clarity on who will ultimately bear the cost. As electricity consumers, we should all be very concerned about the implications of this plan.”

Once the full IRP is released later this week, The Green Connection will analyse the details and provide a more comprehensive response.