Diversified energy mix will tackle S. Africa's energy challenges: minister
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E-mail Xinhua, October 19, 2019
JOHANNESBURG, Oct.18 (Xinhua) -- With South Africa still grappling with ongoing power outages, a diversified energy mix which includes additional coal-fire power and nuclear stations should resolve the problems, Minerals Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe said on Friday.
Briefing the press about the approval of the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2019 by the Cabinet, Mantashe said it was aimed at addressing energy issues for the next decade.
"Unreliable supply due to challenges experienced by Eskom is resulting in electricity users looking at alternatives to meet or supplement their energy needs. The assumption in the IRP 2019 to the extent possible takes into account all these changes," he said.
He said that the IRP recognized an immediate supply and demand gap caused by Eskom's plant performance.
Mantashe said that coal would still be critical in generating electricity.
"Coal will continue to play a significant role in electricity generation as the country has the resource in abundance. New investments will be directed towards more efficient coal technologies underground coal gasification and the development of Carbon Capture and Storage to enable us to continue using our coal resources in an environmentally responsible way."
Mantashe said nuclear as a source of energy could play be key in the energy sector and also contribute to the reduction of emissions.
"The IRP 2019 provides for the extension of the design life of Koeberg buck as well as additional new nuclear capacity in the future. Taking into account the capacity that will be decommissioned station into the future, nuclear at a pace, scale and cost affordable to the country is a no-regret option," he said.
He said an additional nuclear capacity was being planned.
The minister added that renewal energy would be used to distribute power especially in remote areas.
The IRP plan shows that South Africa is part of the Inga Grand Project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) "with some of the power intended for transmission to South Africa across DRC, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana." Enditem
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