Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe
Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has called on the private sector to “please and come talk to us” if they have any ideas on extending the life of South Africa’s fleet of coal-fired power stations.
“There are many that have been earmarked for decommissioning because they are near the end of their life, but there is a view that is growing in Cabinet that many of them must have their life extended.”
Opening the African Energy Week 2023 panel discussion on South Africa, Mantashe added that it was also “a hot debate” whether to reverse the decommissioning of the Komati coal-fired power station, which he regarded as something that had happened prematurely.
Mantashe was equally bullish about gas, noting that there were “gas discoveries everywhere”, including shale gas in the Karoo. The latter was, however, the subject of a multiyear moratorium on exploration.
He noted that the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment “must give us regulations, we have not had that. The moment we have that, we’ll remove that moratorium and allow people to apply for those exploration permits”.
Mantashe also confirmed that government remained keen on nuclear power, and that it would seek to procure 2 500 MW of additional nuclear power.
Mantashe jokingly proclaimed himself as the “King of Coal” when welcomed at a coal panel discussion during an earlier session on Wednesday.