Nuclear power emits proportionately the same quantity of greenhouse gases as renewable energy forms like wind and solar power, and only about 100th of the average emissions of power generated by coal, oil and natural gas.
The inclusion of this statement is one of the changes made in the final scoping report for a new conventional nuclear power station of up to 4 000 megawatts (MW) that Eskom wants to build.
Scoping is the initial stage of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process where all potential impacts of a project are identified.
The final scoping report, just completed and sent to the national environment department and released to the public, has incorporated changes in the light of comments received on the initial draft version.
However, its major findings remain unchanged.
These are that two of the proposed five sites mooted for the possible construction of South Africa's next conventional nuclear power station should be dropped from consideration at this stage (the Brazil and Schulpfontein sites, both on the West Coast in the Northern Cape province), while the other three sites - Koeberg (Duynefontein), Bantamsklip (near Pearly Beach) and Thyspunt (near Cape St Francis) should be further investigated.
The anti-nuclear power lobby has long taken issue with claims by proponents of nuclear power that it is an essentially clean technology that produces very few greenhouse gas emissions, which are the main cause of human-induced climate change.
The anti-nukes argue that, if the full nuclear energy cycle is taken into account - from mining the uranium all the way through to the disposal of nuclear waste - it cannot be considered clean.
However, the final scoping report now states otherwise.
Its executive summary includes this additional text: "Over the full life cycle - from mining of the uranium, iron ore and other minerals, manufacture of the components and construction of the power station, operation and maintenance of the power station through to decommissioning of the station and the management and disposal of waste - nuclear power emits less than 11 grams of carbon equivalent per kilowatt hour.
"This is the same order of magnitude as wind and solar power, including construction and component manufacturing, and two orders of magnitude below (i.e. one hundredth of) the average for coal, oil and natural gas.
"Nuclear power thus has the potential to make a substantial contribution to sustainable development and a significant contribution to reducing South Africa's greenhouse gas emissions.
"Due to South Africa's rich resources of uranium, it makes sense for Eskom to utilise this energy source."
The scoping summary also discourages the reliance on coal-fired power stations saying this would not help in reducing greenhouse gases, nor meet the vast electricity needs of the country, especially in the coastal areas.
"Renewable forms of energy are also under investigation and are likely to be constructed."
It then continues with the original wording of the draft report: "At present, however, the identified renewable forms of energy - for example, wind and solar - are inadequately developed to provide large-scale power generation facilities that can supply a reliable base-load and easily integrate into the existing power network in South Africa."
- The final report is available at many public libraries, including the main Cape Town library (re-opening on September 1), Milnerton, Table View, Atlantis, Hermanus and Gansbaai, as well as from the Cape Town offices of Arcus Gibb at 14 Kloof Street, and online at www.eskom.co.za/eia under the "Nuclear 1" link.
Interested and affected parties can submit comments at any stage of the EIA process.