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- Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe says nuclear power will play a vital role in the country’s energy mix.
- Mantashe said nuclear power would also be a key support for clean energy initiatives.
- The country has started consultations with suppliers of nuclear reactors.
Nuclear power is the “technology of the future” and will continue to play a “vital role” in South Africa’s energy mix, said Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe.
The minister, on Monday, was speaking at 64th regular session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), where it conveyed that the government remains optimistic about the inclusion of nuclear energy in the country’s energy mix and has initiated consultations with suppliers of nuclear power reactors to provide information on scheduling, costs and possible ownership models.
This comes after the department issued a Request for Information for 2,500 MW in June, Fin24 previously reported.
Mantashe also said that nuclear power would support efforts toward clean energy. “In addition to energy security, nuclear power plays a bigger role in clean energy initiatives, to transition us from high emissions to low carbon, while at the same time expanding our energy sources.
“We need to contest space in the energy debate, for nuclear power as a clean energy technology. There is scientific evidence available to support our position,” he added.
South Africa also pledged € 234,642 (about R4.6 million) for the IAEA technical cooperation fund for 2021. The fund includes voluntary contributions from member states to implement national, regional and interregional technical cooperation projects proposed by member states and that are approved. by its board of governors. Mantashe said that the program, with the assistance of the IAEA, has enabled the launch of four new national technical cooperation projects in the areas of agriculture, health and safety.
Mantashe thanked the agency for supporting efforts to extend the operational life of the Koeberg nuclear power plant by another 20 years.
The country has embarked on a project to replace and upgrade its old nuclear research reactor, SAFARI-1. A replacement will be developed by 2030.
So far, the project’s inception report, which recommends that SAFARI-1 be replaced by a multipurpose reactor, has been approved and the project is in the pre-feasibility stage.
