ZUMA -SHALE GAS A GAME CHANGER

Zuma prioritises energy for economic growth
South Africa
Tuesday 17 June 2014 - 8:14pm

Dianne Hawker
Cape Town - President Jacob Zuma arrived at Parliament on June 17, 2014 and was welcomed by a 21-gun cannon salute. eNCA

PARLIAMENT – Government plans to add fuel to South Africa’s ailing economy through the energy sector.
This formed part of the main focus of President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation Address at Parliament, the first of his second term as president.
Government has set a growth target of 5% by 2019.
"To achieve this, we will embark on various mearures and interventions to jump-start the economy," he said.

Nuclear has the possibility of generating well over 9000 megawatts, while shale gas is recognized as a game changer for our economy.

Zuma said the country needs to “respond decisively to the country’s energy constraints in order to create a conducive environment for growth.”
“The energy plan also calls for the injection of capital and human resources into the energy sector,” Zuma said.
Zuma said there was a need for a “radical transformation of the energy sector, to develop a sustainable energy mix that comprised coal, solar, wind, hydro, gas and nuclear energy.”
Shale gas a “game changer”
Without specifically saying so, Zuma also suggested the controversial fracking project in the Northern Cape would receive strong government backing.
“Nuclear has the possibility of generating well over 9000 megawatts, while shale gas is recognized as a game changer for our economy. We will pursue the shale gas option within the framework of our good environmental laws,” he said.
The current National Nuclear and Energy Executive Coordinating Committee of Cabinet will be renamed into the Energy Security Cabinet Sub-Committee.
The committee will be responsible for the oversight, coordination and directions of activities in the energy sector, Zuma said.
When it came to practical solutions to the energy problem, Zuma said construction on the much maligned Medupe power station would be “accelerated.”
However, he did not provide an exact time frame. The power station was meant to be online by the end of 2013, however repeated strikes and work stoppages delayed its inception.
“Plans on the financing of the next large coal fired power station, Coal 3, will be speeded up so that the procurement process can commence,” Zuma said.
Zuma added the government plans to “take advantage of wind, solar, biomass and other technologies” to increase rural development.
Help from the continent
Zuma said South Africa would also be looking to other African countries to boost this energy drive.
“In October last year we signed the Grand Inga Hydro Power Project Treaty with the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This massive and strategic project has potential to generate 40 000 megawatts of hydro-electricity. Our country will benefit enormously from this milestone project,” he said.
However Zuma did not indicate how much of that total will go towards lighting South African homes and businesses.
Zuma added that laws affecting the energy sector need to be finalised.