Mpumalanga, the province ‘where the sun rises’, takes centre stage in SA’s Just Energy Transition Plan. Yolandi Groenewald unpicks the details Out with the old, in with the new: Komati is being used to demonstrate how old power plants can be repurposed. Photo supplied Mpumalanga province, historically the heartland of South Africa’s coal-fired power industry, will need R60,4-billion to move to a greener tomorrow, according to the country’s presidency. With its abundance of coal mines and ageing coal power plants, the province faces an uncertain future as coal is frozen out of South Africa’s clean future. The architects of the country’s new energy deal posit an alternative economic diversification strategy that will include not only renewable energy opportunities but support for jobs in tourism, agriculture and mine rehabilitation in the province in the east, which borders Swaziland and Mozambique. The transition will change Mpumalanga’s economy forever, according to the new deal, called the Just Energy Transition Plan (JETP). “The provincial economy is heavily dependent on coal for employment, the municipal rates base and community development activities,” the plan states. Four priority investment areas for Mpumalanga are set out in the JETP and the investment plan released by the presidency on the eve of the United Nations COP27 climate change conference in Egypt, held from November 6 to 18 2022: firstly, to repurpose coal power plants and coal mining lands; secondly, to build economic diversification; thirdly, to assist with the transition of workers and communities; and lastly, to build enabling conditions for the transition. Future power: The Just Energy Transition Plan aims to contribute to building economic resilience in Mpumalanga communities, as well as restoration of the environment. Photo supplied The repurposing of old power stations is already on the go. Komati, one of Mpumalanga’s oldest power stations, was decommissioned in October in what is seen as a model for repurposing. Situated halfway between the towns of Middelburg and Bethal, Komati had been in operation since 1961 and was a minor power station in state utility Eskom’s fleet, only generating about 1GW of power. Mandy Rambharos, former general manager for Just Energy Transition at Eskom who has been closely involved in defining the JETP deal, said the power utility was learning by doing. Komati was the first step in this learning process. She explained that Komati was being used to demonstrate how old power plants can be repurposed. Next in line according to Eskom’s plan are the Camden and Hendrina plants, due to close between 2023 and 2025. Shortly before the release by President Cyril Ramaphosa of the investment plan (known as the JET-IP), the World Bank approved a loan of US$497-million (about R9-billion) to fund the decommissioning and repowering of Komati using renewables and batteries. Eskom plans to use the loan to install 150MW of solar power, with some panels placed directly on the old mining ash heaps, as well as 150MW of battery storage and 70MW of wind power. All 193 employees at Komati have been offered alternative Eskom jobs. Coal heartland: Mpumalanga currently produces 83% of the country’s coal, and 12 of Eskom’s 15 coal-fired power plants are found in two of the province’s districts. Photo © Jeremy Glyn Lebogang Mulaisi, a commissioner at the Presidential Climate Commission and head of policy at trade union Cosatu, explained at a COP27 side event that Mpumalanga has so much more potential than merely being the heart of South Africa’s coal sector. Mine rehabilitation, for example, can be a serious intervention, while agriculture should also play a significant role in the transition, she said. “It is not just about moving workers from one sector to another, it must be about fair wages and creating better new opportunities. Listen to the people that will be affected,” Mulaisi said. Mpumalanga currently produces 83% of the country’s coal, and 12 of Eskom’s 15 coal-fired power plants are found in two of the province’s districts. Around 85% of South Africa’s coal-mining jobs are situated in Mpumalanga. The JET-IP acknowledges that Mpumalanga residents suffer negative environmental and economic impacts from the coal industry. This includes “air and water pollution and the coal mining-related destruction of high-value agricultural land. A just transition is an opportunity to address both current development challenges and impacts from a coal phase-down,” the document states.