South Africa Coal Phase-Out Delay Risks
Analysis based on 6 articles · First reported Apr 22, 2026 · Last updated Apr 23, 2026
The report's findings on potential deaths and economic costs from delayed coal plant phase-out in South Africa could negatively impact investor sentiment towards South Africa's economy and its energy sector. The stalled Just Energy Transition Partnership and the United States' withdrawal of funding further complicate South Africa's transition to green energy, potentially affecting related investments.
A new report by Greenpeace, the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, and GroundWork warns that South Africa's delayed phase-out of coal plants could lead to 32,000 preventable deaths between 2026 and 2050 and cost the South African economy 721 billion rand ($38 billion). The South Africa government approved extending the operating dates for 14 coal-fired power plants, with two set to run until 2050. This delay is projected to cause significant health issues, particularly for children, and increase pressure on the public healthcare system. South Africa — Gauteng province is expected to bear a large burden of deaths due to transboundary pollution from South Africa — Mpumalanga. The transition to green energy has been hampered by internal government disputes and the United States' withdrawal from a multi-million dollar deal with South Africa.
Set up alerts, explore entity relationships, search across thousands of events, and build custom intelligence feeds.
Open Dashboard