The Komati Power Station was commissioned in 1961, consisting of nine coal-fired generators, with a total installed capacity of 1 GW by 1966 – more than twice the capacity of any existing power station in the country at that time.

After more than 50 years, in 2017, Eskom began looking into possible decommissioning of South Africa’s five oldest plants, including Komati. Between 2018 and 2022, all nine Komati generators were sequentially removed from operation. The number of jobs supported by the plant also declined over this period.

In November 2022, the World Bank Group approved a US$497 million project to: support the decommissioning of the Komati coal-fired power plant; repurpose the project area with renewable energy (wind and solar),batteries, and synchronous condensers; and provide support and create new opportunities for workers and communities.

The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) began interacting with the Komati community and workers inJanuary 2022 as part of the development of the national Just Transition Framework. At these consultations, concerns relating to the closure and repurposing of the Komati Power Station were brought to the attention of the PCC—particularly around the “justness” of the process.

The President of the Republic of South Africa and Chair of the PCC subsequently requested that the PCC investigate the process followed at Komati, focusing on justice outcomes. While the Komati coal power station was closed primarily due to economic reasons associated with its age, not the country’s decarbonisation agenda, it nonetheless offers useful lessons for future just energy transition (JET) projects in South Africa.