31-03-2025
South Africa Grants Emissions Exemptions to Coal-Fired Plants in Effort to Avoid Blackouts
South African officials will allow some of the country's coal-fired power plants to operate without the need to adhere to regulations on carbon and other emissions. The move comes as South Africa continues to struggle with producing enough electricity to power the country's growing economy. South Africa, which relies on coal for more than 80% of its power generation, for years has experienced power supply shortages, resulting in hours-long blackouts and load-shedding measures, part of an effort to protect the power grid. Dion George, the country's environment minister, on March 31 during a news conference in Cape Town said eight coal-fired plants run by Eskom, the state-owned utility, would be allowed to skirt emission rules in an attempt to focus on providing a steady supply of electricity. George said the Kendal, Lethabo, Majuba, Matimba, Medupi, and Tutuka plants were given a five-year exemption. The coal-fired Duvha and Matla facilities were given exemptions until 2034, when those facilities are scheduled to be retired. Five other Eskom-operated plants also were granted exemptions until June 2030. The utility has said its plan to stabilize the nation's power supply includes delaying the decommissioning dates of some of its coal-fired stations.
George said South Africa must increase its supply of renewable energy "with urgency," and said the country needs to accelerate its transition away from coal-fired power. The minister said Eskom wanted longer extensions to keep coal-fired plants online, and added, "I did not give them what they wanted." George said, "These exemptions are not a blanket reprieve but are tailored to each facility with stringent conditions." The Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment said it would require Eskom to increase its monitoring of power plant emissions, appoint environmental health specialists, and provide mobile health clinics as part of the plan. Eskom officials said the utility was reviewing the order, and said it is committed to reducing negative societal impacts on health and the environment from its coal-fired fleet. Eskom previously has said that retrofitting aging power plants with emissions control technology would be too costly. Many of the utility's coal-fired facilities have operated for three decades or more. A recent report from the South African Medical Research Council and the UK's Dept. for International Development said a 10-year study found that people living near coal-fired power stations in South Africa, particularly in the area around the Mpumalanga province's coal belt—home to several coal-fired power plants—had a mortality rate 6% higher than other areas of South Africa. The report said there are higher rates of birth defects, and cardiovascular and lung disease, in communities near coal plants. Said George, "We want enough electricity to grow our economy, and we want clean, breathable air. It is completely unacceptable when our children have problems with their lungs, and babies are born with cleft palates."
South African Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa earlier in March said the country's power supply continues to be taxed because of delays in construction of more generation capacity. The country's lone nuclear power plant, the two-unit 1,860-MW Koeberg station north of Cape Town, earlier this month experienced an unplanned shutdown of Unit 2, taking it offline for several hours at the same time Unit 1 was offline for maintenance. Koeberg, whose units have operated since 1976 and 1984, respectively, provides about 5% of South Africa's electricity. The country also has discussed building more nuclear power plants. Renewable energy currently accounts for less than 10% of South Africa's power supply, according to government data. Officials have a goal for at least one-third of the country's electricity to come from renewables by 2030, and have acknowledged meeting that target—considered to be about 19 GW of generation capacity—would require significant investment from international banks. Officials said three utility-scale solar farms are planned for construction by JUWI South Africa, a major solar power developer, this year. The arrays in total will have about 340 MW of generation capacity. The company said the projects include:
A 120-MW facility for Teraco Data Centres, Africa's largest data center company, supplying multiple locations via wheeling innovation from a generation site in the Free State Province.
A 120-MW plant for Sasol and Air Liquide, in partnership with independent power producers TotalEnergies, Mulilo and Reatile Group.
A 100-MW facility for Glencore Mine, providing clean energy to its ferrochrome smelters in partnership with Pele Green Energy.
"These projects underscore the critical role of private sector leadership in driving South Africa's energy transition," said Richard Doyle, managing director of JUWI Renewable Energies. "As one of the pioneers of the country's renewable energy sector, JUWI is proud to partner with energy-intensive industries and IPPs to deliver innovative projects that enhance energy resilience, reduce emissions, and accelerate progress toward net zero. These projects reflect our commitment to building a sustainable energy future for South Africa." —Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER.
