Russia's Rosatom denies it has nuclear deal in the bag

Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson File picture: EPA

Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson File picture: EPA

Published Feb 19, 2017

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Johannesburg – Russian nuclear agency Rosatom has expressed interest in bidding for South Africa’s nuclear project after it confirmed it was one of several companies that submitted a request for information to Eskom.

This week Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson confirmed to journalists in Parliament that 22 companies had submitted such requests to Eskom.

President Jacob Zuma also told Parliament that nuclear power was part of the government’s energy mix programme.

Rosatom confirmed it had submitted its request to Eskom and that it would bid for the tender when the time came.

The Russians have been said to have bagged the nuclear tender, but Rosatom has denied this, saying it would compete in the bidding process like any other company.

Vice-president for Rosatom in southern Africa Viktor Polikarpov said the other vendor countries bidding for nuclear in SA included China, the US, France and South Korea.

They would compete in the actual bidding process for nuclear projects.

However, he said this was a request for information by Eskom and the request for proposals was yet to be issued.

But Polikarpov said: “We will definitely be bidding. We have one of the most advanced technologies and expertise. We are doing it in 11 countries.”

He denied that the Russians had already snatched the tender. “There is no politics. We are commercial, we are interested in business,” said Polikarpov.

Zuma said Eskom would drive the nuclear process in the country, and the national energy regulator of South Africa would also be involved in procuring nuclear projects.

“Let me reiterate that before any nuclear new build procurement takes place the requests for proposals have to be issued,” he said.

“Once proposals have been received and evaluated, the Department of Energy is required to report back to the cabinet on the proposed funding model.

“As I have previously indicated, any procurement process must be on a scale and at a pace that our country can afford,” said Zuma.

Joemat-Pettersson also said this week 22 companies were interested in the nuclear programme tender.

“Twenty-two companies have expressed interest in the programme. Once we have information we will take it to the cabinet,” she said.

Eskom spokesman Khulu Phasiwe said the bidding process had not started yet, but the 22 companies had submitted information required by Eskom.

“This is not a request for proposal, it’s a request for information, who is able to do what. At this stage we are not issuing the request for proposal. We don’t want to mention when it will be issued,” he said.

Sunday Independent

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