SONA: Zuma punts gas as energy source

Cape Town. 12.02.15. President Jacob Zuma takes the salute at this year's SONA. Picture Ian Landsberg

Cape Town. 12.02.15. President Jacob Zuma takes the salute at this year's SONA. Picture Ian Landsberg

Published Feb 12, 2015

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Cape Town - It appears the government has had a rethink on nuclear power being the main driver to ensure reliable sources of energy.

President Jacob Zuma was clear during his State of the Nation on Thursday that gas would play a bigger role in energy generation.

“Eskom has been directed to switch from diesel to gas as a source of energy for the utility’s generators (to avoid blackouts),” he said.

Households were also being encouraged to move from electricity to gas.

While the government has said in the past it will pursue a variety of options, nuclear power has been punted the most, including by ministers.

France, the United States, China, South Korea and Russia are bidding to come on as partners for nuclear generation.

“We want to connect the first unit by 2013… when Eskom retires its (first) ageing power plant,” he said.

New gas generation will commence in the first quarter of the new financial year.

South Africa is surrounded by a number of gas rich countries and shale gas has been located in the Karoo.

IOL

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