Nuclear programme put on hold

Tina Joemat - Pettersson

Tina Joemat - Pettersson

Published Nov 23, 2016

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SOUTH AFRICA’S new nuclear build programme has been delayed by several years, with Eskom and the Department of Energy pulling in different directions on the commissioning of the first nuclear power plant.

Energy Department officials insisted on Tuesday that the nuclear power plant would come into operation in 2037.

On the other hand, Eskom said 2025 would be the date for the operation of the first nuclear power plant.

Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson yesterday released the Integrated Energy Plan and Integrated Resource Plan for public comment.

She said the plans were necessary to give the energy direction of the country over the next few decades.

Deputy director-general for policy, planning and clean energy in the department, Ompi Aphane, said energy was the lifeblood of the economy and they needed to plan properly to meet energy demands for the future.

Nuclear was a big part of the energy mix programme that has been adopted by the government.

He said they wanted 20 000MW for nuclear by 2050.

In the current new nuclear build programme, the government will procure 9 600MW.

Aphane and acting deputy director-general Jacob Mbele said the new nuclear build programme would come into operation in 2037.

This is a delay from the initial plan for the first plant to come on stream in 2023 and the last nuclear plant to start operating in 2029.

Matshela Koko, group executive for generation at Eskom, said they were looking at operating the first nuclear plant in 2025.

The government has not put a figure on the nuclear build programme, but it is estimated it would run to more than R1 trillion

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