Assessing the social and environmental impacts of the just energy transition in Komati, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa

In response to the Paris Agreement, South Africa has committed to decommissioning its coal-fired power stations and transitioning to renewable energy technologies. The pilot project for the energy transition that is planned for the place is the decommissioning of the 1000 MW Komati power station, in Mpumalanga province. Despite the existence of these guidelines, the energy transition may not be just for the society, power station workers and community in Komati. As such, evaluating the social impacts and investigating the environmental impacts associated with the energy transition, i.e., the decommissioning of the Komati power station was necessary, this also includes investigating the involvement or participation of the community in the transition. To conduct the study, questionnaires and in-depth interviews were administered to residents in Komati and to environmental experts, to evaluate the above-mentioned objectives. The study found that residents are concerned with the impacts that the closure of the Komati power station may give rise to, about their job security, livelihood, well-being, community development and energy provision. They are also concerned about environmental impacts associated with the lack of rehabilitation. Furthermore, the findings in the study indicate that the community is not aware of or involved in the discussions of the energy transition of Komati.