Withdrawn nuclear determination process was 'fatally flawed': Kgosientsho Ramokgopa

Energy and electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says the withdrawn determination to procure 2,500MW of nuclear power was “fatally flawed”.

Ramokgopa was speaking on the sidelines of a one-day seminar held in Irene, Pretoria, where experts discussed nuclear technology and opportunities that exist for the country.

Last month, Ramokgopa withdrew a ministerial determination for the procurement of 2,500MW of new nuclear energy after concluding that there was insufficient public consultation before the regulator provided its concurrence.

“I made a point that it is important that we maintain the credibility of the process. On our own reading, we could tell that the process was fatally flawed,” Ramokgopa said.

He said the move towards procuring nuclear energy could easily “be faulted on procedural aspects, and we did want to invite the courts to come and prescribe on what that process should be”.

Ramokgopa refused to be drawn into giving any indication of possible timelines in the country's move to procure a massive new nuclear programme, saying he would only give an indication once he has received advice from a committee he would be putting together.

“We are expecting that the committee would advise me ... in relation to the pace and scale that we can afford. Once we answer that question, then we will be able to articulate what is that public consultation process and simultaneously begin to work out a procurement framework,” Ramokgopa said.

Nuclear Energy Corporation of SA (Necsa) CEO Loyiso Tyabashe, who was among the speakers at the seminar, spoke about how their business was driven by foreign sales of medical isotopes mainly to the US, Europe and Asian markets.

Tyabashe said Necsa has 1,200 “highly skilled” people in its employ and seeks to grow that number “to double and triple that number”.

“Our view is that the work that we are doing contributes immensely to sustainable development goals in terms of clean energy and affordable energy as well as meaningful employment for our people,” Tyabashe said.

Eskom Group CEO Dan Marokane spoke about how the cost of extending the lifespan of the Koeberg nuclear power station had set Eskom back by R22bn.

“The R22bn is for both units ... just to give context, it’s R22bn for 1,800MW for the next 20 years. We should see this cost within that context,” Marokane said.

Marokane said nuclear energy was important in helping to ensure the country reduces emissions and that it was a key baseload replacement for coal-powered plants being repurposed through the just transition process.

He said with Egypt making moves towards nuclear power, it was important for South Africa, which has been in the forefront in the use of nuclear power on the continent not to be overtaken. 

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