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Following input provided by numerous entities at Wednesday’s Integrated Energy and Resource Plan (IEP and IRP) draft documents, OUTA believes the rationale for any plans to introduce Nuclear energy into South Africa’s electricity grid has been removed.

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), along with numerous speakers raised concerns of the flawed and rushed public participation process undertaken to date. Firstly, we have waited over five years for the IRP2016 and now the Department of Energy (DOE) has decided to rush the public engagement meetings with less than two weeks notice, on a matter which is extremely complex.

“More time is needed for the public engagement process on this important matter, one that will impact on the cost of electricity for decades to come,” says Ted Blom, OUTA’s Portfolio Director. “While we are pleased that the DOE’s Deputy Director General, Mr Ompi Aphane did acknowledge the sentiment for more time to enable further public commentary after the final plan and policy adjustments have taken place, we remain concerned that the DOE is trying to force the process to be complete by the end of March 2017, which we believe will not be sufficient time."

The various participants pointed out a number of significant omissions, such as the lack of co-generation (1395 MW already in the grid), the impact of electricity price elasticity and small scale embedded generation (SSEG).  Additionally, serious flaws in the pricing of the various energy technology assumptions were made evident, as was the need for the base case to start with the least cost energy options.

“The number of presentations from all sectors were indeed highly informative and we are sure the DOE received a significant amount of valuable input to place into their model,” says Wayne Duvenage, OUTA’s Chairperson. “Personally, I cannot see how the final IRP-2016 document will be able to suggest the inclusion of even one kilowatt of energy being generated through Nuclear.  If Nuclear energy is indeed forced into the system, the DOE’s credibility will come under serious scrutiny.”

Issued by OUTA