The plan is a sweeping $126 billion investment programme aimed at ending load shedding, achieving energy security and positioning electricity as the backbone of SA\u2019s economic recovery and industrialisation.<\/p>\n
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Speaking at a media briefing in Pretoria, Ramokgopa described the IRP as \u201cthe single biggest investment programme of a post-apartheid government\u201d, underscoring its significance for growth, jobs, and environmental sustainability. He said the plan marked a decisive shift from crisis management to long-term planning and growth.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have turned the corner on load shedding,\u201d he declared. \u201cEnergy now ceases to be a crisis. It becomes a catalyst for growth, for jobs, for industrialisation, and for the decarbonisation of our economy.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The IRP 2025 sets out a comprehensive roadmap for SA\u2019s electricity generation mix up to 2039, adding 105 gigawatts of new capacity, the equivalent of rebuilding Eskom\u2019s generation fleet two and a half times over. It will guide investments in solar, wind, gas, nuclear, storage, and cleaner coal technologies, ensuring that energy supply keeps pace with population and economic growth.<\/p>\n
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By 2030, SA plans to add more than 29 000 megawatts of new capacity to the grid, including 11 270MW of solar PV, 7 340MW of wind, 6 000MW of gas-to-power, 3 100MW of storage, and 5 400MW from distributed generation.<\/p>\n
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Coal, long the backbone of SA\u2019s energy system, will see its share fall from 58% of total capacity to 27% by 2039, as renewable sources become dominant. Solar and wind will collectively contribute over 40% of generation, while nuclear will grow from 2% to 5% with the planned addition of 5 200MW in new capacity.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ramokgopa said for the first time in SA\u2019s history, cleaner energy sources such as hydro, nuclear, solar, and wind will surpass coal as the main producers of electricity.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are pivoting away from a high-emission energy economy toward a cleaner, more sustainable one,\u201d he said, but stressed that \u201cSA does not have a coal problem, it has an emissions problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ramokgopa said the IRP\u2019s first priority is to ensure SA never again faces power shortages. Load shedding, he noted, had been \u201ca structural constraint\u201d on the economy, limiting growth, raising unemployment and deepening poverty.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThe inability of our electricity system to meet demand has crippled economic growth,\u201d he said. \u201cNo country can grow when the lights are off. This plan ensures that electricity will no longer be a constraint but a driver of development.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ramokgopa highlighted that Eskom\u2019s energy availability factor (EAF), the proportion of its generation capacity that is operational, had averaged above 70% over the past month, a sharp improvement from below 50% during the height of the crisis in 2023.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThis marks a major turnaround,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is the first time in years that we\u2019ve had a consistent EAF above 70%. It means the system is stabilising, and that gives us the confidence to plan for growth rather than crisis management.\u201d<\/p>\n
The IRP 2025 represents a $126 billion investment programme, roughly 30% of SA\u2019s GDP, which government expects will stimulate industrialisation, create jobs, and revive the domestic manufacturing and construction sectors.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ramokgopa said implementation would depend heavily on rebuilding SA\u2019s industrial capacity and technical skills base. \u201cOur biggest risk is the shortage of skills and the weakened construction industry,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have not built large infrastructure projects in years. We went from five major construction firms to just one.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
To address this, government will partner with universities, TVET colleges and industry to produce engineers, artisans and technicians. The plan also calls for a nuclear industrialisation programme to rebuild expertise lost after the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor project was mothballed.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWe must ensure our universities and technical institutions are ready to supply the engineers and technicians needed to build the future,\u201d he said. \u201cThis plan is not just about electricity, it\u2019s about rebuilding SA\u2019s industrial capability.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ramokgopa said the financing of the IRP had already attracted interest from major international financial institutions, including 14 of the world\u2019s top financiers who have pledged support for nuclear and renewable projects.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ramokgopa said the plan would not only guarantee stable electricity but would also make energy more affordable and accessible to all South Africans. \u201cElectricity must be available, reliable and affordable, for households, for businesses, for industries. That\u2019s how we grow our economy and reduce poverty,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ramokgopa emphasised that the IRP 2025 is a \u201cliving plan\u201d, allowing for periodic updates as technology and market conditions evolve. Green hydrogen, for example, has not been incorporated due to current cost uncertainties, but will be added in future revisions once commercial viability improves.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are not rigid. As science advances and costs come down, new technologies will be incorporated,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
By 2039, emissions from SA\u2019s electricity sector are expected to decline from 168 million tonnes of CO\u2082 equivalent in 2030 to about 142 million tonnes by 2035, supporting the country\u2019s commitments under the Paris Agreement.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ramokgopa said the IRP would not only secure SA\u2019s energy future but also help meet climate and development goals. \u201cWe are building a future for posterity, a SA that is cleaner, industrialised, and inclusive,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
He concluded by reaffirming government\u2019s resolve to end the country\u2019s long-running energy instability, \u201cElectricity must never again be a constraint to SA\u2019s growth. It must be the engine that powers our economy, creates jobs, and improves lives. That is what this plan delivers.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
–ChannelAfrica–<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":13424,"template":"default||default","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"news-type":[44],"class_list":["post-13423","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-finance","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"South Africa\u2019s (SA) Minister of Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has unveiled the long-awaited Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2025). ||South Africa\u2019s (SA) Minister of Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has unveiled the long-awaited Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2025). ","published_date":null,"news_description":"South Africa\u2019s (SA) Minister of Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has unveiled the long-awaited Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2025). ||South Africa\u2019s (SA) Minister of Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, has unveiled the long-awaited Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2025). ","form_embed":"","author":"","image_caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/13423","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/13423\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18551,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/13423\/revisions\/18551"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13424"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13423"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=13423"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}