Best of 2024: FT – A cautionary tale from Komati Power Station’s ‘atomic bomb scenario’

The closure and repurposing of South Africa's Komati Power Station was intended to showcase a just transition to green energy. Instead, it exposed the stark challenges of balancing renewable goals with economic and social stability in coal-dependent communities. With jobs lost, social unrest, and funding risks, Komati's story serves as a global warning on the pitfalls of poor planning. Eskom's leadership is now determined to ensure Komati's lessons reshape South Africa's energy transition. Dive into this in-depth analysis of what went wrong—and how it could shape the future of green energy in developing nations.

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A cautionary tale from South Africa's 'just energy transition'

South Africa's Komati Power Station exemplifies the pitfalls of poorly managed energy transitions. Eskom CEO Dan Marokane describes the plant's conversion from coal to renewables as creating an "atomic bomb scenario" for local jobs, where the shift has led to high unemployment and social unrest in a coal-dependent community. The World Bank's $497 million investment in the repurposing project highlights the need for more inclusive planning to avoid similar failures globally.

By Malcolm Moore in London and Rob Rose in Johannesburg

Eskom chief says repurposing of coal plant created an 'atomic bomb scenario' for local jobs

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