Overview
- Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa formally presented IRP 2025, a Cabinet‑approved plan to invest roughly R2.2–R2.3 trillion and expand generation by 105 GW by 2039.
- Targets include 11,270 MW of solar and 7,340 MW of wind by 2030, 6,000 MW of gas‑to‑power, and 5,200 MW of new nuclear capacity with the first 1,200 MW projected for 2036.
- The plan forecasts cleaner sources overtaking fossil fuels for the first time and projects coal’s share falling to about 27% by 2039 from a system still dominated by coal today.
- Eskom welcomed the roadmap and cited a recovery in its energy availability factor to around 70%, while officials flagged major risks tied to skills shortages and a weakened construction sector.
- Civil society and analysts warned about consumer costs and financing burdens, with one expert estimating the plan could add about R250 billion a year to electricity costs by 2040, and green hydrogen was excluded pending clearer unit‑cost data.