Publisher: Presidential Climate Commission (South Africa)
Date: June 2025
Intro-summary
This PCC progress report reviews Komati’s decommissioning, repowering, and repurposing program since late 2023, highlighting community engagement and skills efforts alongside delays in decommissioning (Component A) and renewables+BESS rollout (Component B) due to procurement, scope, and environmental constraints. It notes tenders initiated for 150 MW BESS and 72 MW Phase‑1 solar; on‑site wind was dropped for impact and siting reasons. Target mobilization dates are Oct 2025 (BESS) and Nov 2025 (solar), each with ~18 months for construction and a further ~18 months of initial O&M. On the social front (Component C), 393 people have been trained since 2022, the Social Employment Fund launched ~300 temporary jobs, and pilots such as agrivoltaics, aquaponics, and micro‑grids began. Persistent challenges include institutional capacity, coordination, financing, and basic services. The report distills six cross‑cutting lessons: start earlier, avoid premature judgments, keep approaches and funding flexible, maintain long‑term vision, make participation outcome‑oriented, and assign responsibilities clearly.