Cliff Dekker Hofmeyr, acting on behalf of Eskom Holdings, sent me and other fellow objectors to the location of a nuclear plant at Duynefontein an e-mail this afternoon.
It is a copy of the letter addressed to the Department of Environmental Affairs. Eskom is requesting an extension of time. Whereas it was meant to respond to objections by July 16, 2018, it now wants to do so by July 31, 2018. In 3.7 of the letter it states the following reason:
3.7 Eskom is still endeavouring to contact the authors of the RWR, OIA and Peer Review of the SRAR and finalise the process of engagement with the relevant specialists within the next two to three weeks on the pertinent issues raised by the appellants in respect of, among others, the following Specialist Reports (in addition to the OIA; RWR; and Peer Review of the SRAR):
3.7.1 Assessment of Potential Radiological Impact on the Public and the Environment Report (“Radiological Report”).
3.7.2 Beyond Design Basis Accidents Report.
3.7.3 Emergency Response Report.
3.7.4 Economic Impact Assessment Report.
3.7.5 Management of Radioactive Waste Report.
3.7.6 Social Impact Assessment Report.
3.7.7 Seismic Risk Assessment Report.
3.7.8 Marine Ecology Impact Assessment Report.
3.7.9 The various Reports which are annexures to the Oceanographic Impact Assessment Report, compiled by Prestedge Retief Dresner Wunberg (Pty) Ltd and the Council for Geoscience; and
3.7.10 Geohydrological Assessment Report.
I understand that the National Party, when it was in power, waited for December when people were on holiday to give the green light for Koeberg to go ahead. Let us not be caught napping and on the back foot again.
It’s bad enough to have one nuclear plant in our backyard. Two will be nightmarish and catastrophic in the case of any simultaneous accident.
At present, from what I have heard, Koeberg is deferring the maintenance which is due this year. This is unacceptable and dangerous because all plants of similar design are meant to be serviced at the same time.
I am also informed that the nuclear waste is piling up at Koeberg and not being removed as per requirement. This is totally unacceptable and the government must explain why it is permitting this to happen. If these things are true, we as Capetonians should be very concerned. My objection, therefore, remains as strong as ever.
I will rather burn a candle if Eskom runs out of capacity than be exposed to radiation from a nuclear fallout. I hope Capetonians will remain universally and unwaveringly opposed to the Duynefontein application by Eskom. If push comes to shove, a referendum must be held involving all the citizens of Cape Town.
Besides everything else, Eskom is in a dire financial situation as everyone can see from the wage negotiations. The precarious financial position of Eskom is a major and persistent worry for the government because of all of the guarantees that the national government issued on behalf of Eskom. If Eskom falters, defaults or goes belly-up, our government will also follow suit. It is that bad.
In short, the Duynefontein nuclear project is danger writ very large.