CAPE TOWN, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- The South African cabinet announced Thursday the approval of a national plan on electricity generation amid nationwide power cuts.

The Integrated Resource Plan directs the expansion of electricity supply to allow South Africa to meet the forecasted demand with the minimum cost to the country, while also taking into account security of supply and the environment, according to the country's Energy Department.

The plan provides South Africa with a blueprint for the country's envisaged energy mix until 2030, to reduce the country's heavy dependence on coal by exploring nuclear, solar, hydro, wind and other energy resources, the department said.

"The plan remains within the policy framework of pursuing a diversified energy mix that reduces reliance on a single or few primary energy sources," Phumla Williams, acting cabinet spokesperson, said following the cabinet's fortnightly meeting in Cape Town.

"It will be revised in line with the changing energy sector environment," she added.

The cabinet's approval came amid nationwide power cuts by Eskom, a South African electricity utility which provides over 95 percent of the electricity consumed in the country. Since Wednesday, Eskom has been forced to impose power cuts for the first time in around seven months, after a number of its generating units broke down.

The power cuts came "as a result of the loss of additional generation, delays in the return to service of units that are on planned maintenance and limited diesel supply," Eskom said, adding that the new round of power cuts could last until the end of October.

South Africa has suffered from power insufficiency since 2008, with regular power cuts or off. Enditem

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