Climate Changed
South Africa Delays Renewable Projects Pending Court Hearing
- Labor union Numsa applied for interdict to block deals
- Projects worth $4.7 billion have been delayed since 2016
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South Africa delayed signing agreements for renewable-energy projects worth 56 billion rand ($4.7 billion), after a court postponed a ruling on a labor union application to block the deals.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa and Transform RSA applied for an interdict on Monday evening to prevent state-owned utility Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. from signing 27 power purchase agreements that have been held up since 2016. While the union says the projects threaten jobs and coal-fired plants, the government argues that renewable energy will stimulate economic growth and diversify South Africa’s power mix.