in the South African context, an Integrated Resource Pl (IRP) is a living plan that is expected to be reviewed regular when circumstances in the electricity sector and econom change. The IRP's main purpose is to ensure security electricity supply by balancing supply and demand at th least cost to the economy whilst minimising environmenta impact. The IRP's objective is to plan for an adequate powe system that will satisfy electricity demand while enduring contingencies or disruptions without adverse interruptions o supply. This is carefully crafted in such a manner that both the cost of electricity to the economy and environmental (global and local emissions) impact of electricity supply are minimised.
In summary the Integrated Resource Plan can be defined as a comprehensive forward looking strategy that outlines the allocation of South Africa's primary energy resources, ensuring that the country's electricity demand is met both cost efficiently as sustainably.
Although the South Africa generation system is currently dominated by coal, its energy mix is fairty diverse, comprising nuclear, diesel-fired gas turbines, hydro, water pumped-storage, solar PV, Concentrated Solar Power, wind, biomass, landfill, etc. In the country's commitment to carving a strategic roadmap for ensuring long-term electricity security of supply while transitioning towards a more sustainable and low-carbon future, it is anticipated that the role of coal wil reduce, and generation from clean technologies will increase.
With South Africa emerging from a heavily constrained power system, the IRP 2025 focusses on cementing the positive interventions to address immediate capacity constraints and planning for generation options, thus ensuring future security of supply and long-term goals such as achieving a Net Zero So
electricity sector by 2050.
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