South Africa has unveiled an ambitious energy blueprint aimed at ensuring greater power security for its citizens. The revised Integrated Resource Plan projects a $128 billion investment in energy infrastructure by 2042, with nuclear and gas rising to 16% of total generation capacity, up from just 3%, while coal dependence falls from 58% to 27%. To achieve this, the country will revitalize a previously stalled modular nuclear reactor program and significantly increase its use of gas power. Officials cite a global trend of financing nuclear projects as a key motivator. While this plan is designed to end decades of blackouts and work towards net-zero emissions by 2050, it is expected to face robust opposition from environmental groups who have successfully challenged similar fossil fuel projects in the past.
Bloomberg