Challenges facing South Africa’s electricity sector’s integrated resource plan : a qualitative system dynamics approach
Date
2018
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Association of Southern African Schools and Departments of Public Administration and Management
Abstract
National electricity plans are policy approaches that provide opportunities
for integrated, goal-oriented electricity transition management. This article
provides a critical reflection of the challenges that face the Integrated
Resources Plan (IRP) of South Africa, which include the misalignment of
the electricity sector’s long-term plan with other national strategic plans,
and the minimal endogenisation of this long-term plan into existing sustainability
transitions governance frameworks. The article argues that the use of
qualitative system dynamics, particularly causal loop diagrams, can be useful
in learning about the key feedback loops that relate to the IRP development
process challenges in South Africa. The results show that resistance to
IRP development, adoption and its overall implementation has contributed
negatively to the electricity sustainability transitions agenda. Further, current
solutions merely deal with symptoms rather than the root cause of the
IRP challenges. An integrated sustainable electricity transitions framework is
thus proposed, aimed at improving South Africa’s electricity sustainability
transitions agenda. The article finally argues the need to entrench the sustainability
transitions-based framework in the existing IRP policy development
process in South Africa.
Description
CITATION: Mqadi, L., Musango, J. K. & Brent, A. C. 2018. Challenges facing South Africa’s electricity sector’s integrated resource plan : a qualitative system dynamics approach. Administratio Publica, 26(2):119-137.
The original publication is available at https://journal.assadpam.net
The original publication is available at https://journal.assadpam.net
Keywords
Electric utilities -- South Africa -- Strategic planning, Integrated resource plan -- South Africa, Integrated planning -- South Africa
Citation
Mqadi, L., Musango, J. K. & Brent, A. C. 2018. Challenges facing South Africa’s electricity sector’s integrated resource plan : a qualitative system dynamics approach. Administratio Publica, 26(2):119-137