Repositioning electricity planning at the core: An evaluation of South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan

Energy and electricity issues in particular have been high on the South African agenda since the 2008 crisis, which saw the country’s national power utility Eskom implement rolling load shedding and cut supplies to a number of large customers, such as mines and minerals beneficiation plants. As South Africa experienced in 2014 the most stringent power cuts since 2008, reviewing the current electricity planning process is both a timely and necessary exercise. This review, based on an internationally - recognised framework, unpacks the key pillars of them Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) and reviews South Africa’s performance. The objective is to provide a comprehensive overview of the key elements of successful electricity planning and to use this framework to reflect on the country’s opportunities and challenges for optimal planning and implementation.