Business seeks longer consultation on controversial energy plan

Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson is to be asked to extend the period for consultation on the draft integrated resource plan (IRP) and integrated energy plan, which critics say is too short.

The deadline for consultations is end-February and the Cape Town Chamber of Commerce and Industry appealed for this to be extended at least to end-March to allow for comment on what it said on Tuesday were vital policy proposals.
 
Department of Energy deputy director-general Ompi Aphane told a departmental engagement with stakeholders in Cape Town — the third leg of countrywide consultations after Johannesburg and Durban — that he would convey the request to the minister.
He noted that the same sentiment had been expressed by stakeholders in the Johannesburg and Durban consultations.
Aphane also addressed another criticised criticism, that the department had not produced any credible studies to support its claim that the South African grid was too constrained to accommodate much more renewable energy.
Critics have attacked the draft integrated resource plan for placing artificial constraints on renewable energy in order to give nuclear a greater role.

 

 

In an interview, Aphane said the grid had already reached full utilisation in the Northern Cape and elsewhere, and investment in more transmission lines would be required to allow for a significant uptake in renewable energy connections.
He said a decision on the expedited bid window was likely in the new year.

Aphane said there were specific renewable programmes that had already been adjudicated, about which Eskom had expressed reservations, but the expedited bid window was not one of them.
Africa Infrastructure Investment Managers’ investment principal, Francis Jackson, stressed the need for the IRP to embody the inevitability of uncertainty in the energy market by providing for shorter lead times and smaller units. This would allow for flexibility and lower the risks.
Regular updates of the plans would also be necessary to adapt to changing market conditions.

by Linda Ensor/BDlive