The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) has submitted its recommendations on the future of electricity planning and the revision of the 2019 Integrated Resource Plan to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
In the short term, the PCC made recommendations for the selection of technologies that are least costly, widely known and quickest to get onto the grid through renewable energy backed by storage and peaking support.
The commission calls for an Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) that maximises renewable energy available on the grid.
Labour Market Policy Coordinator at COSATU and Presidential Climate Commissioner, Lebogang Mulaisi explains, “The PCC expects a policy-adjusted IRP to promote approximately 50 to 60 GW of variable renewable energy by 2030, supported by storage and between 3 and 5GW of peaking support. Government needs to balance cost, economics, job environment and health in assessing these opportunities. The commissioners have called for an urgent review of electricity pricing.”
Review of electricity pricing
Meanwhile, the PCC has also echoed the many calls for the review of the electricity pricing system and revenue models at all tiers, across all users.
It says the limitations of the current pricing system must be resolved to avoid perpetuating existing challenges and crises. Mulaisi says the current prices are not sustainable for Eskom or for municipalities.
“The commissioners have called for an urgent review of electricity pricing. Secondly, stakeholders at the colloquium argued that the free basic electricity system should be reformed. Thirdly, we urgently need to upgrade the transmission and distribution grids a penultimate enabler is building the capacity of local government. Local government has a fundamental role to play in electricity distribution, energy efficiency and small-scale generation.”
More details of the recommendations in the report below:
