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State downplays nuclear report

The Department of Energy distanced itself at the weekend from suggestions that bids are about to be opened for tenders for R1 trillion worth of nuclear power plants. Energy director-general Nelisiwe Magubane said the reports were highly exaggerated. Although the department did have a plan for nuclear to be part of the energy equation by 2023, this did not translate into six nuclear power plants. The first step would be a wide-ranging debate with the public on the suitability of nuclear power, she said. What had already been agreed in cabinet was that there needed to be such “a dialogue”. The Mail & Guardian reported on Friday that South Africa was poised to issue the largest tender ever to build six new nuclear reactors by 2030.

It reported that bidding would begin next year and five companies – from France, South Korea, China, Russia and a joint US-Japanese consortium – were in the running. It said France’s Areva, which built the Koeberg nuclear power station outside Cape Town, led the pack. Asked whether the department had spoken to companies mentioned as possible bidders, Magubane said it had “but not with a view to procuring”. The companies had approached the department but “we did not solicit anything from them, it is too early for that”. Eskom spokeswoman Hilary Joffe said the power utility had not committed to any further “new build” projects beyond 2018/19 when Kusile – the coal-powered plant in Mpumalanga – would be completed.

“By that time South Africa’s next base-load project should already be under construction, if we want to ensure flexibility and energy security for the country,” she said. “We believe that decision-making on new baseload capacity for South Africa needs to be expedited so that planning can start.” Eskom said the government’s integrated resource plan foresaw more than 9 000 megawatts of new nuclear capacity by 2030. “The next step is for the government to decide on who will build this capacity and how it will be funded.” Even if South Africa does go the nuclear route, it is unlikely it would need six nuclear plants. For example, Kusile will have an 4 800MW output when completed in six years’ time.

Eskom said it wanted to be part of a new nuclear build programme for South Africa. “This is part of our growth strategy,” said Joffe, noting that Eskom – through Koeberg – was the only nuclear operator on the African continent. DA MP Sej Motau said his party would make sure any deals were carefully monitored as such a tender had the potential to make the arms deal scandal “look like a picnic”.

Source: iol.co.za

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State downplays nuclear report

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