Clyde Mallinson - IRP 2025: A R250 billion-a-year waste

The new Integrated Resource Plan, IRP 2025, released by Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa yesterday (Sunday) means the quantum of electricity sold in 2040 will be R250 billion more to the consumer than if it was done differently. So says Energy expert Clyde Mallinson. “I did an analysis about six months ago where I put an alternate plan together that by 2040 would cost the country 250 billion Rand per year less than the plan that's just been gazetted. So the electricity price will be around 60 to 70 percent more expensive than it could be if we had an alternate plan.” Mallinson says that not only is this the cheapest plan, but that it would produce so much excess electricity that it could lift 12 million households out of energy poverty. "My vision for the country is turn renewable energy into renewable energy dividends for 12 million South African households and take them off SASSA grants and swap them out for renewable energy dividends.” Mallinson points out that South Africa is going through the biggest disruption in the energy sector ever. "And if you imagine trying to plan in the midst of a disruption…It's not an easy thing to do. And that's why the plan should be flexible. And that's why it shouldn't be a straight jacket….And I just don't think our planners have planned for the fact that we need to overproduce. And it's that very overproduction that holds the capacity to drive our economy.”