jesse-burton-expert-affidavit-13-5-19-27f560a6443ac50e.pdf

Expert affidavit by Jesse Burton arguing that the proposed Thabametsi coal-fired power station in South Africa is economically unnecessary, would increase greenhouse gas emissions by 136.1Mt CO2eq over 30 years, and would frustrate the country's Paris Agreement commitments. The document advocates for a transition to a least-cost electricity system dominated by wind and solar PV, which is projected to provide 90% of electricity by 2050.

• The proposed Thabametsi coal-fired power station is not required to meet South Africa's medium-term electricity demand because alternative sources, including wind, solar photovoltaic (PV), and flexible gas generation, are more economical.
• Constructing Thabametsi would result in an additional cost of R12.57 billion to South Africa compared to a least-cost electricity system, which balances supply and demand at the lowest cost while maintaining security of supply.
• The Thabametsi power station is projected to increase greenhouse gas emissions in the electricity sector by 136.1Mt of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq) over the 30-year duration of its power purchase agreement.
• The Thabametsi project would hinder South Africa's ability to meet its Paris Agreement commitments by increasing the costs of emission mitigation, thereby necessitating larger reductions in other sectors and the power sector.
• The 30-year power purchase agreement for Thabametsi would place financial pressure on Eskom, as it would be required to buy electricity at a fixed price that is substantially higher than current prices for wind and solar PV. This is expected to lead to higher electricity tariffs for municipalities and consumers.
• Urgent transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is necessary for South Africa to meet its climate obligations. There is a scientific consensus that fossil fuels drive global warming and that coal must be phased out globally by 2050 at the latest.
• Analysis of a least-cost electricity pathway for South Africa through 2050 indicates that supply will primarily come from wind and solar PV. Renewables (including biomass and micro-hydro) are projected to produce 42% of electricity by 2030 and 90% by 2050, with wind and solar specifically contributing 38% and 88% respectively.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). jesse-burton-expert-affidavit-13-5-19-27f560a6443ac50e.pdf. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Jesse-Burton-Expert-Affidavit-13-5-19.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. jesse-burton-expert-affidavit-13-5-19-27f560a6443ac50e.pdf. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Jesse-Burton-Expert-Affidavit-13-5-19.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=jesse-burton-expert-affidavit-13-5-19-27f560a6443ac50e.pdf |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Jesse-Burton-Expert-Affidavit-13-5-19.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrightsndjesseburtonexpertaffidavit1351927f560a6443ac50epdf, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{jesse-burton-expert-affidavit-13-5-19-27f560a6443ac50e.pdf}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Jesse-Burton-Expert-Affidavit-13-5-19.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }