▁make ▁use ▁of ▁on ▁renew ables ▁such ▁as ▁solar ▁and ▁wind , ▁of ▁which ▁South ▁Africa ▁is ▁well ▁position ed ▁to ▁take ▁advantage . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁E sk om ' s ▁acting ▁Chief ▁Fin an cial ▁Officer ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁company ▁cannot ▁afford ▁a ▁new ▁build , ▁following ▁a ▁ 3 4 % ▁drop ▁in ▁inter im ▁prof its ▁due ▁to ▁decl ining ▁sales ▁and ▁increasing ▁finan cing ▁costs . ▁The ▁government ▁stated ▁it ▁will ▁proceed ▁with ▁the ▁plan ▁but ▁more ▁slowly . ▁The ▁draft ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁IR P ▁does ▁not ▁call ▁for ▁new ▁nuclear ▁power , ▁partly ▁due ▁to ▁decl ining ▁electric ity ▁demand , ▁forec ast ▁ 3 0 % ▁lower ▁than ▁in ▁the ▁previous ▁IR P . ▁ ▁The ▁agreed ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁IR P ▁plans ▁a ▁ 2 0 ▁year ▁life - extension ▁for ▁K oe berg ▁to ▁ 2 0 4 4 , ▁and ▁a ▁delayed ▁nuclear ▁new ▁build ▁programme ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁" m arg inal ▁cost ▁of ▁[ n uc lear ] ▁generation , ▁in ▁comparison ▁to ▁other ▁options " ▁with ▁a ▁scenario ▁that ▁may ▁build ▁new ▁capacity ▁after ▁ 2 0 3 0 . ▁Small ▁mod ular ▁react ors ▁may ▁become ▁an ▁attract ive ▁option , ▁dependent ▁on ▁earlier ▁demonstr ation ▁elsewhere ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁Crit ic ism ▁ ▁There ▁has ▁been ▁much ▁concern ▁about ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁the ▁endeav our , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁possibility ▁for ▁cor ruption , ▁due