Department of Energy denies nuclear procurement process stalled indefinitely

The Department of Energy has denied that the government’s nuclear procurement process has been stalled indefinitely.

Democratic Alliance spokesman on energy Gordon Mackay said on Thursday that Minister of Energy Tina Joemat-Pettersson had confirmed in the Energy Portfolio Committee that the next phase of the nuclear procurement process had been stalled indefinitely.

He said the minister’s admission was in response to a question he had posed in the committee relating to the Request for Proposal (RFP) that was scheduled to be issued on April 1.

“Minister Joemat-Pettersson informed the committee that that April 1 deadline was not met and that no new date for the issuing of the RFP has been set‚ signalling that the procurement process is now in limbo‚” Mackay said.

However‚ the department said it “would like to refute these claims and place on record that in the same meeting that Hon Mackay is referring to‚ Minister Joemat-Pettersson‚ while responding to a question posed by Hon Mackay on why the deadline for the release of the RFP was not met‚ Minister Joemat-Pettersson replied that the process to release the RFP on the nuclear procurement processes was delayed to allow consultative process among all stakeholders”.

“There is a consultation process with key stakeholders that the Department of Energy has undertaken before issuing the Request for Proposal(s) (RFP). This consultation process has not yet been concluded and the RFP will be issued as soon as this process is concluded. The process is continuing and should not be rushed. She also undertakes to brief the Committee further once new developments are registered‚” the department said.

It added: “The Minister also indicated that she is aware of the current legal challenges on the nuclear process and would not jeopardise the process and would be mindful of any resulting legal judgements.”