Prove affordability claim, says NPO

If the doom-mongers are right, power stations could black out.

If the doom-mongers are right, power stations could black out.

Published Apr 22, 2014

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Cape Town - An environmental organisation has reported the Department of Energy to the Advertising Standards Authority of SA (Asasa) for claiming nuclear energy was “affordable”.

The organisation, Project 90 by 2030, has said the energy department must prove their claim of affordability with up to date evidence – or destroy their promotional material that carries the message.

Project 90 by 2030 took issue with the nuclear message on promotional notepads and water bottles that the Department of Energy had handed out at a recent energy stakeholders’ dinner in Camps Bay.

The goods had the department’s logo and the message : “Nuclear power is a clean, safe, affordable and reliable source of energy.”

Richard Fischer, head of policy at Project 90 by 2030, said on Monday they had sent their complaint to Asasa.

“We always said we wanted open discussions with the Department of Energy, so this stakeholders’ dinner was a positive response from the department. The main focus was on renewable energy, and there was a presentation.

“They handed out these water bottles and notepads to people there, and we saw the claim on these materials,

“We want the Department of Energy to provide evidence to support the ‘affordable’ claim,” he said.

Energy experts have pegged the cost at around R1-trillion, depending on who the government buys from and the type of, reactors selected.

 

 

The Department of Energy was not available for comment. - Cape Times

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