RELEVANT INFORMATION CONCERNING THE COAL IPPS – A STUDY BY THE ENERGY RESEARCH CENTRE

The Life After Coal Campaign informs the South African Minister of Finance that a study by the University of Cape Town's Energy Research Centre (ERC) finds the Thabametsi and Khanyisa coal-fired power stations are unnecessary and economically harmful. The campaign argues these projects would increase system costs by R19.68 billion, raise greenhouse gas emissions by 205.7Mt CO2eq over 30 years, and exacerbate Eskom's financial crisis. The letter advocates for a transition to renewable energy to ensure financial stability and meet Paris Agreement commitments.

• The proposed Thabametsi (557MW) and Khanyisa (306MW) coal-fired power stations would cost South Africa an additional R19.68 billion compared to a least-cost energy system, as wind, solar PV, and flexible gas generation are more economical alternatives.
• The coal IPPs are projected to increase greenhouse gas emissions by 205.7Mt CO2eq over the 30-year duration of their power purchase agreements, which would negate the savings of the Energy Efficiency Strategy to 2050 and hinder South Africa's commitments under the Paris Agreement.
• Building new coal plants during a period of low demand would increase pressure on Eskom by reducing the output of its existing fleet, potentially accelerating a 'utility death spiral' and risking the broader South African economy.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2018). RELEVANT INFORMATION CONCERNING THE COAL IPPS – A STUDY BY THE ENERGY RESEARCH CENTRE. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Annexure-C-LAC-letter-to-Minister-of-Finance-re-ERC-report-15-June-2018.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. RELEVANT INFORMATION CONCERNING THE COAL IPPS – A STUDY BY THE ENERGY RESEARCH CENTRE. 2018. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Annexure-C-LAC-letter-to-Minister-of-Finance-re-ERC-report-15-June-2018.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=RELEVANT INFORMATION CONCERNING THE COAL IPPS – A STUDY BY THE ENERGY RESEARCH CENTRE |date=15 June 2018 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Annexure-C-LAC-letter-to-Minister-of-Finance-re-ERC-report-15-June-2018.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrights2018relevant, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{RELEVANT INFORMATION CONCERNING THE COAL IPPS – A STUDY BY THE ENERGY RESEARCH CENTRE}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2018}, month = jun, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Annexure-C-LAC-letter-to-Minister-of-Finance-re-ERC-report-15-June-2018.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }