Energy in South Africa

Energy in South Africa describes energy and electricity production, consumption and export in South Africa. South Africa was 6. top hard coal producer in 2009. Hard coal production was 1,620 TWh in 2009 and total energy production 1,995 TWh in 2008.

Around 77% of South Africa's energy needs are directly derived from coal and 92% of coal consumed on the African continent is mined in South Africa.

South Africa was the sixth top hard coal producer in 2009: 247 Mt hard coal, below Australia 335 Mt and Indonesia 263 Mt and above Russia 229 Mt. South Africa was the fifth top hard coal net exporter in 2009: 67 Mt hard coal of the world total hard coal export 836 Mt.

In 2009 247 Mt hard coal production is 247 Mt*0.564 toe/Mt*11.630 TWh/toe = 1620 TWh and export 67 Mt*0.564 toe/Mt*11.630 TWh/toe = 439 TWh.

Coal production and use creates in South Africa Coal combustion wastes (CCW), coal mine wastes (AMD) and toxic coal land fires. Coal combustion wastes (CCW), contain toxic substances like arsenic, cadmium, chromium and lead. Hundreds of South African old coal mines are filled with sulphate salts, heavy metals and carcinogenic substances like benzene and toluene. This AMD damages wildlife and spreads illness and disease. According to Greenpeace most shockingly is eMalahleni 'place of coal', Mpumalanga province, surrounded by 22 collieries and steel, vanadium and manganese plants. One of the biggest old mines is the Transvaal and Delagoa Bay (T&DB) mine, closed in 1953. 60 km downstream from Emalahleni AMD leaked into the water supply in 2006 and 2007 killing thousands of fish, crocodiles and freshwater turtles and poisoning the water used by communities. Coal fires continue in the disused mines.

Coal mine owners include Anglo Coal (ex Amcoal) a subsidiary of Anglo American plc, Glencore, Exxaro and South 32.

In 2008 electricity was produced 241 TWh with coal. In 2008 electricity production + imports – exports – losses was 232 TWh.

The government owned national power utility Eskom dominates the country's electricity sector. With 27 operational power plants generating over 95% of the country's electricity and over 40% of all electricity on the African continent making it one of the ten largest power utilities in the world. However government's inability to keep Eskom's generating capacity up with economic and population growth due to a lack of investment by government has created a large energy shortage and led to an energy crisis in late 2007. This has forced the company to implement loadshedding in specific areas of the country at certain times to reduce pressure on the national grid and initiate an ambitious program to increase energy production. This has led to speculation by the national newspaper, the Mail and Guardian, that the country might face a complete grid failure.

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