The highlights this week: South Africa’s government endorses a new energy policy , Nigerians protest the detention of an Igbo secessionist leader , and Kenyans remember former Prime Minister Raila Odinga .
Welcome to Foreign Policy’s Africa Brief.
The highlights this week: South Africa’s government endorses a new energy policy, Nigerians protest the detention of an Igbo secessionist leader, and Kenyans remember former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Sign up to receive Latin America Brief in your inbox every Friday.
South Africa’s New Energy Policy
On Sunday, South Africa’s government unveiled an energy policy that aims to cut the country’s dependence on coal and end rolling blackouts, both of which have hampered economic growth for more than a decade.
Years of underinvestment in an aging fleet of coal-fired plants, which provide more than 80 percent of South Africa’s electricity, and systematic corruption within state utility company Eskom have led to electricity shortages. Eskom generates around 90 percent of the country’s electricity.
The revised Integrated Resource Plan would see South Africa invest around $127 billion in energy infrastructure by 2039, particularly in nuclear power and natural gas. The policy aims for nuclear and gas combined to account for 16 percent of total power generation, compared to around 4 percent at present.
South Africa currently has two nuclear reactors and plans to add more than 5,200 megawatts of extra capacity. Although the country sources much of its natural gas from Mozambique, it is looking to develop its own gas fie
Continue Reading on Foreign Policy
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.