The Integrated Resource Plan in the South African context is not the Energy Plan - it is a National Electricity Plan.
It is a subset of the Integrated Energy Plan.
The IRP is also not a short or medium-term operational plan but a plan that directs the expansion of the electricity supply over the given period.
The Long-term Electricity Planning goal is to ensure sustainable development considering:
Technical constraints
Economic constraints
Social constraints
Externalities
What is its purpose?
In theory, identification of the requisite investments in the electricity sector that maximize the national interest.
In practice - identification of the investments in the electricity
sector that allows the country to meet the forecasted demand
with the minimum cost to the country.
