CAPE TOWN - The Energy Minister David Mahlobo has told the portfolio committee on energy on Tuesday that no major projects on nuclear energy have been implemented yet as this would require a business plan, the Business Day reported.
The department has revealed that the the final Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) which was approved by the cabinet in December 2017, is now ready to be published.
Energy expect Chris Yelland commented on twitter and said, "Mahlobo's new IRP for electricity in SA may be ready to be published, but the burning question is - will it be published?
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The plan determines the energy mix for long-term electricity demand and details how the demand should be met in terms of generating capacity, type, timing and cost. Mahlobo said the government had conducted sufficient consultation on the document and would not favour one energy technology over another.
"If we are to proceed with solutions proposed in the IRP, we will need to have a business plan," he said.
According to DA's Shadow Minister of Energy Gavin Davis, Mahlobo has maintained that the procurement of nuclear energy was an integral part of the energy mix going forward and that the new IRP approved reflected that.
"Significantly, Minister Mahlobo refused to agree with President Cyril Ramaphosa who said at Davos recently that we could not afford to build any new nuclear power stations," Davis added.
The DA feels that the 'new dawn' promised by Ramaphosa cannot proceed with Mahlobo in his cabinet.
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The EFF recently accused Mahlobo of meeting the Minister of Mineral Resources and Environment, Sergy Donskoy from Russia to discuss nuclear deal just after the Investing in Mining Indaba in Cape Town.
Mahlobo's appointment to be the energy minister was understood to be based on Jacob Zuma's objective to expedite the nuclear deal with Russia.
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-BUSINESS REPORT ONLINE