Ramokgopa delays nuclear procurement to prioritise transparency
16 Aug 2024
Minister of Energy and Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa used a special media briefing to announce that government is delaying its nuclear power procurement programme to promote transparency and public participation. This move follows legal challenges and growing concerns about the integrity of the procurement process.
Ramokgopa held a second press conference for the week.
Ramokgopa confirmed that the government is withdrawing the gazette that initiated the nuclear procurement process.
This decision, he explains, is aimed at allowing for additional public engagement and addressing concerns raised by various stakeholders.
"I think there's a general appreciation, acceptance that nuclear is the future,” he said.
“So this is the point I want to emphasise: having withdrawn, we are not saying nuclear is not the future.”
“Increasing the nuclear generation capacity in addition to what we have at Koeberg is going to happen.”
Stakeholder concerns
The delay is partly a response to concerns raised by organisations such as Earth Life Africa and the South African Faith Communities Environment Institute.
These groups argued that a crucial report on meeting certain conditions for the nuclear programme had not been subjected to public scrutiny.
The government’s decision to delay the process reflects its intention to ensure that all relevant information is thoroughly examined and openly discussed.
"We are aware of the concerns that some stakeholders have about nuclear power, such as safety, waste management, and decommissioning,” he explained.
“We are committed to addressing these issues in a transparent and responsible manner, and to ensuring that our nuclear programme meets the highest standards of governance and accountability.”
Nuclear is in South Africa’s future
Despite the postponement, the South African government remains committed to nuclear energy as a vital part of the country's future energy mix.
The focus is on ensuring that the procurement process is robust, transparent, and able to withstand scrutiny.
"We are pursuing a modular approach, where we will procure small-scale reactors that can be deployed in different locations and integrated into the grid,” Ramokgopa added.
“This will reduce the cost and risk of building large-scale plants, and also create opportunities for localisation and skills development."
The minister is adamant that nuclear will be deployed at the scale and pace that the country can afford.
Refining the nuclear programme
The government plans to engage with various stakeholders and experts to further refine the nuclear programme.
A revised Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) will play a crucial role in determining the scale of the nuclear build programme.
Ramokgopa, who outlined some of the other aspects of the nuclear plan, saying that it is aligned with the IRP2019, which envisaged 2,500MW of new nuclear power by 2030.
