The plants, which account for almost a quarter of the state-owned utilitys almost 45GW of coal-fired generation capacity, will be allowed to operate under current emission limits until the end of March 2030, Barbara Creecy, the environment minister, ruled. That will exempt them from more stringent restrictions on pollutants, ranging from particulate emissions to sulphur dioxide , that come into effect in 2025.
The decision highlights the difficulties South Africa, which has one of the world's most carbon-intensive economies, faces in balancing the health of citizens with the need to keep a struggling economy supplied with power. The country has been hit with periodic electricity outages since 2008, hindering economic growth and deterring investment.
Closing the offending plants "potentially involved plunging the country into darkness", a team of experts said in a report upon which Creecy based her decision. Balancing that concern with the health impacts of pollution from the plants "was difficult and extremely complex", it said.
The minister ordered the Johannesburg-based utility to submit plans within the next year on when and how the Hendrina, Grootvlei, Arnot, Camden and Kriel plants will be decommissioned.
Creecy also instructed Eskom to submit fresh applications for pollution exemptions for its Matla, Duvha, Tutuka and Kendal plants within 60 days of her determination. Those facilities have a combined capacity of 14.4GW.
