Pretoria - Looming threats to the country's national electricity grid are expected to take centre stage when Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe chairs a meeting of the National Stakeholder Advisory Council on Energy on Friday.
The meeting, to be attended by the Ministers of Energy, Public Enterprises, Finance, National Planning, Water and Environmental Affairs, Cooperative Governance, Trade and Industry, Mineral Resources, Economic Development and Labour, follows the release of the country's draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) policy for Electricity.
The draft IRP, released for public comment, sets out the outcome of the first round of work in government on an integrated electricity plan for the next 20 years.
Amongst the goals the policy aims to achieve is a balance between an affordable price for electricity to support a globally competitive economy and a move to a more sustainable and efficient economy that creates jobs, taking into account appropriate carbon emission targets in line with global commitments.
The IRP says the country requires 52248 MW of new capacity in order to meet the projected demand and provide adequate reserves.
It had been recognised that security of electricity supply in South Africa was likely to be under severe pressure in the next three to five years.
The council is expected to coordinate the participation of social partners, including organised labour, organised business, the community constituency and representatives of the intensive users of electricity.
