South Africa: Environment Minister Says No Urgent Need to Close Coal Power Stations

  • Creecy says it would be “counterintuitive” to shut down old coal-fired power stations amid an energy crisis.
  • Creecy reiterated an April statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that South Africa remains committed to reducing its carbon emissions by 2030.

According to reports from News24, Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment Minister Barbara Creecy say it would be “counterintuitive” to shut down old coal-fired power stations amid an energy crisis.

Creecy added that decisions on decommissioning would be informed by a “detailed technical assessment of the feasibility of continuing to operate older plants” and would also be informed by the timeframes of new capacity from other energy sources and the impact on the country’s path to decarbonise the economy.

Creecy reiterated an April statement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that South Africa remains committed to reducing its carbon emissions by 2030 to within the target range but that to limit load shedding (rotational power cuts), it might be necessary to revisit its decommissioning schedule.

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