What is the cost of extending the life of our coal plants? A new study finds that delaying the decommissioning of our coal fleet may help with load shedding, but it will cause thousands of air pollution-related deaths and comorbidities.

Right after Cape Town hosted Africa Energy Week 2023 - a thinly veiled greenwashing event that promoted pro-coal voices like author Alex Epstein who said, "It is deadly for Africa to forego fossil fuels" - a study has been released that highlights just how high the economic and human cost would be if we extend the life of our coal plants that are meant to be decommissioned.

A new report from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (Crea) found that if the decommissioning of SA's coal plants only begins in 2030 or beyond, it would cause a projected 15,300 excess air pollution-related deaths and economic costs of R345-billion.

South Africa is the seventh-largest coal producer in the world, with 88% of our electricity produced coming from our coal fleet, meaning we are a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions - 14th in the world, and the top polluter in Africa.

Under South Africa's current Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), which sets out the energy mix plan for the next few decades, 11.3GW of coal power at seven old plants was scheduled to retire by 2030.

But in 2022, Eskom issued an "Emissions Reduction Plan"...