Government announces nuclear procurement plans

An aerial view of South Africa's Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, in Cape Town. Source: Reuters/Esa Alexander

However, officials said on Tuesday that the new nuclear power procurement is not a short-term fix, as the first units are only expected to start operating in a decade.

"We are excited about the prospects and we are confident about our ability to ensure that within a reasonable period of time we are able (to announce) preferred bidders," Minister in the Presidency responsible for Electricity Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa told a news conference.

Ramokgopa reiterated that South Africa, which has the African continent's only operational nuclear power plant, Koeberg, close to Cape Town, will build new ones at a scale and pace it can afford.

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South Africans are wary of the government's nuclear programme after a 9,600MW nuclear deal with Russia, initiated during Jacob Zuma's scandal-plagued presidency, was thwarted by a court challenge in 2017.

Meanwhile, financing and long-term storage options for radioactive waste remain concerns, environmentalists say.

Koeberg future hangs in the balance

"Nuclear should not be on the agenda. It is a myth that it is a climate change solution, a myth that it is the cheapest form of electricity ... there is no way civil society can accept this," said Liziwe McDaid, a local environmental campaigner.

Koeberg, with a capacity of around 1,900MW, provides around 5% of the country's energy needs out of a nominal installed capacity of about 46,000MW.

Government is awaiting regulatory approval after applying for a 20-year extension to Koeberg's operating licence which expires in July 2024.

South Africa expects to commission the first unit of the new 2,500MW nuclear project by 2032/33, said Zizamele Mbambo, a senior energy ministry official.

"We must issue an open and transparent tender that makes sure there is cost competitiveness," Mbambo added.