Bid Window 8 of government’s Renewable Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme will be the last bid window under IRP 2019, says Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe.

“We’ll then have issued all the bid windows provided for under IRP 2019.”

Speaking at the Africa Energy Indaba 2024 in Cape Town on Tuesday, Mantashe noted that IRP 2019 is currently being updated into IRP 2023.

Mantashe said government would issue requests for proposals for 5 616 MW of renewable energy under Bid Window 8, as well as for Bid Window 3 of battery storage, both by the end of the current financial year.

He added that once this had happened, his Ministry would have had issued more renewable bid windows than “any other Ministry from 2011 to 2018”.

“We have no attitude against renewables. We support all energy technologies that give us energy.”

Mantashe also reiterated that government’s goal to develop 2 500 MW of nuclear power was “not a dream”.

“There will be nuclear in our country in addition to Koeberg. There is already an agreement. Procurement capacity is being worked on and we are investing in that capacity.”

Mantashe emphasised that no party had yet been earmarked to develop government’s nuclear ambitions and that the process would be open to all investors.

He added that government wanted to develop its nuclear capabilities to include nuclear fuel.

“We have rich deposits of uranium in South Africa, but…we are resisted by a partner called the US from developing it up to nuclear fuel stage.

“They say develop it up to yellowcake, export it, and then import fuel.

“In our view we should be allowed to develop fuel. We are not going to get into military applications, but we are going to use it for energy.”

Mantashe also noted that government’s ambition of forming a national petroleum company will no longer be “an aspiration” by this time next year – “it will be action”.