South Africa’s draft IRP shows no new procurement in short term

The Department of Energy released a draft of South Africa’s long-awaited Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) on 27 August, confirming the expected shift away from coal and nuclear power towards renewable energy. The IRP is a crucial document, which sets the installed capacity that can be procured to 2030, effectively forming the legal basis of government policy on the energy mix. The document was approved by cabinet on 22 August.The recommended plan contains no new nuclear power, but also no new renewable power until 2025 and no gas until 2026.