Energy Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has committed her department to public participation and transparency around the nuclear procurement programme.
In her first public comments since taking office‚ the minister told members of Parliament’s energy portfolio committee that she did not have any problems with last week’s Western Cape High Court judgment insofar as it stressed the need for public participation.
Judge Lee Bozalek declared that the determinations gazetted by former minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson were unconstitutional and unlawful because the National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa) had not followed the legal prescripts with regard to public participation.
These determinations were the basis on which Eskom has proceeded with its request for information for the procurement of 9‚600MW of nuclear energy.
However‚ while Kubayi said she supported the need for public participation‚ she was concerned about the status of the determinations.
It might be necessary to seek a declaratory order from the court or otherwise appeal the judgment if necessary.
Kubayi said she would meet legal counsel on Wednesday to discuss the way forward.
With regard to the international agreements signed with Russia‚ the US‚ China‚ South Korea and France‚ the minister said some of these were required for existing operations and could not just be put aside.
Judge Bozalek declared the agreements unconstitutional and unlawful as they were not approved by Parliament.
The department would have to look into whether they could be submitted as is to Parliament for approval or whether new agreements would have to be signed and then submitted to Parliament.
The minister stressed that the integrated resource plan and the integrated energy plan would be finalised this year‚ as policy certainty and predictability were critical for investors.
She stressed that she would not be dragged into issues around procurement of nuclear energy‚ which was not the role assigned to her by the Public Finance Management Act.
Kubayi said she would be involved only in policy issues and would engage on this.
She believed the binary opposition between lobby groups opposed to and in favour of nuclear energy needed to be nuanced and the gap needed to be closed.
She noted the government had committed itself to reducing carbon emissions by 34% by 2020 and said the energy sector would have to play its part.
Kubayi said both grid and non-grid solutions had to be found in a “balanced way” to ensure electricity for the whole population.
To connect everyone to the grid would cost money for infrastructure‚ maintenance and subsidies and would escalate costs in a constrained fiscal environment.
It would be necessary‚ the minister said‚ to look at long-term‚ sustainable‚ non-grid solutions for those living in remote rural areas.
-TMG Digital
New minister Mmamoloko Kubayi promises nuclear transparency and participation
Energy Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has committed her department to public participation and transparency around the nuclear procurement programme.
In her first public comments since taking office‚ the minister told members of Parliament’s energy portfolio committee that she did not have any problems with last week’s Western Cape High Court judgment insofar as it stressed the need for public participation.
Judge Lee Bozalek declared that the determinations gazetted by former minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson were unconstitutional and unlawful because the National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa) had not followed the legal prescripts with regard to public participation.
These determinations were the basis on which Eskom has proceeded with its request for information for the procurement of 9‚600MW of nuclear energy.
However‚ while Kubayi said she supported the need for public participation‚ she was concerned about the status of the determinations.
It might be necessary to seek a declaratory order from the court or otherwise appeal the judgment if necessary.
Kubayi said she would meet legal counsel on Wednesday to discuss the way forward.
With regard to the international agreements signed with Russia‚ the US‚ China‚ South Korea and France‚ the minister said some of these were required for existing operations and could not just be put aside.
Judge Bozalek declared the agreements unconstitutional and unlawful as they were not approved by Parliament.
The department would have to look into whether they could be submitted as is to Parliament for approval or whether new agreements would have to be signed and then submitted to Parliament.
The minister stressed that the integrated resource plan and the integrated energy plan would be finalised this year‚ as policy certainty and predictability were critical for investors.
She stressed that she would not be dragged into issues around procurement of nuclear energy‚ which was not the role assigned to her by the Public Finance Management Act.
Kubayi said she would be involved only in policy issues and would engage on this.
She believed the binary opposition between lobby groups opposed to and in favour of nuclear energy needed to be nuanced and the gap needed to be closed.
She noted the government had committed itself to reducing carbon emissions by 34% by 2020 and said the energy sector would have to play its part.
Kubayi said both grid and non-grid solutions had to be found in a “balanced way” to ensure electricity for the whole population.
To connect everyone to the grid would cost money for infrastructure‚ maintenance and subsidies and would escalate costs in a constrained fiscal environment.
It would be necessary‚ the minister said‚ to look at long-term‚ sustainable‚ non-grid solutions for those living in remote rural areas.
-TMG Digital