SA’s nuclear aspirations – strengthening diversification
While many in South Africa argue that the country does not need an expensive nuclear programme, there are few who believe nuclear energy would strengthen South Africa’s diversification of power generation.
According to an online platform, the 2010 Integrated Resource Plan envisages building 9 600 MWe of new nuclear power capacity, by a programme of between six and eight new nuclear reactors, by 2030. Seven countries, Canada, South Korea, France, Russia, US, Japan and China are bidding to supply the reactors.
An opposing view
Ted Blom, Energy Portfolio Director at OUTA (Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse) shared his opposing views by saying that it would not make sense diverting much needed Government and taxpayers’ funds to growing the unused electricity surplus.
Blom said, “Renewable energy projects require a level of sophistication in grid configuration that does not currently exist in South Africa. Most notable of these is the non-existence of flexible base load capacity which is crucial if renewables are to become a meaningful source of energy in the grid.”
A war of words between camps
Landley Nzama, an Insurance Agent based in Durban, on the other hand believes the nuclear energy debate has become a war of words between camps with different personal ends. Nzama believes a new nuclear power station would strengthen South Africa’s diversification of power generation closer to the demand centers that are far away from the coal mines.
“South Africa is on the correct path with its nuclear aspirations. South Africa is one of the oldest nuclear countries in the world, predating developed countries such as France, Japan, Korea and even Germany,” said Nzama.
“Currently, there are 65 nuclear power plants under construction the world over and it is fundamental to note that at least 15 countries that did not have nuclear power plant activities were starting to pursue nuclear power strategies Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, Namibia, Zambia and Libya. South Africa has already lost its spot on the African continent as the leading economy to Nigeria and has even more to lose if we fail to go ahead with the new nuclear build,” continued Nzama.
By and large, Nzama says it seems the main concerns about the nuclear new build plan rest on cost, size and affordability.
Cost, size and affordability
According to Nzama, there are big nuclear power plants and there are small power plants. The smaller reactors are cheaper than the bigger Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR’s) and are therefore affordable for virtually all countries in Africa.
“If South Africa moves on a large programme to export PBMR’s we could supply all the other African countries gearing up to nuclear technology. If we do not, then they will get reactors like this from some other country. The other country would then most likely get the later contracts for training, maintenance, upgrades, waste treatment, and much more. So we have a lot to lose if we don’t take the space,” said Nzama.
“Many figures have been in the media, but it is wrong! Why, because no figure has yet been agreed upon. The government, through Eskom, is still to issue a tender which will indicate the general size of what the country needs. Respondent countries will then submit specific size and cost proposals which are subject to alterations,” continued Nzama.
According to Nzama, Eskom says that they will be earning electricity sales money from the first nuclear station before the third one is completed. “Thus, the first reactor goes online and helps finance the next. What more, news is that the countries interested have provided the country with a loan facility where they will foot the cost of construction, with the government only paying after the plant goes online.”
Whilst wind and the sun are free, Nzama says it is the collection, conversion and transportation to the final user that makes the cost of electricity from these sources not so different from other sources. Clearly, these sources are invaluable as supporting sources but not a solution to the country’s energy problem.
Landley Nzama, Insurance Agent
