South African electricity utility Eskom will be forced to delay plans to shut down at least three coal-fired power stations before 2030.

This is despite the government’s commitments made at U.N. climate talks in 2021 when Britain, the European Union and the United States together pledged $8.5 billion to help South Africa move away from coal and transition to a greener economy.

The reality is that maintaining power supply in a struggling economy while shutting plants that feed the bulk of South Africa’s electricity requirements has proven to be extremely difficult to do.

New Eskom CEO Dan Marokane has acknowledged concerns around how the company’s delay strategy will impact the government’s commitments and the associated funding. However, he is optimistic as to the outcome of talks currently underway with funders.

Interestingly, in the government elections held in South Africa on May 29, the ruling African National Congress lost its majority for the first time since it came to power in 1994.