South Africa is sketching up plans for a 2,500 megawatt nuclear programme to try to resolve the country’s power supply problem, the energy ministry stated recently.
Given the long lead-time of constructing additional new nuclear capacity, upfront planning is essential for security of energy supply to society into the future, highlighted the ministry in a statement.
The government of South Africa had decided to strive for information on a nuclear-build programme, at a pace and sale that the country can afford.
South Africa is the single country in Africa to have a civil nuclear programme, with 2 reactors at the Koeberg power plant, which in service for more than 30 years. They produce 1,860 megawatts, or about 4% of the country’s total energy.
Currently, 90% of the country’s electricity is produced from coal-fired stations. But its plants are ageing and poorly maintained, causing repeated power outages that have harshly handicapped the country’s economy.
