South Africa defers decision on new N-power plant

The South African government has agreed to defer the procurement of 2,500 megawatt (MW) nuclear power as there was not enough public consultation and the conditions set forth in the electricity regulatory act have not been satisfactorily met. The announcement was made by Electricity and Energy Minister Kogosientsho Ramokgopa at a press conference on Friday in Pretoria.

The plan was challenged though it was approved and an official gazette announcement was made. But it was challenged in court by the Democratic Alliance (DA), the political party which is now part of the coalition government, and two non-governmental organisations, South Africa Faith Communities Environment Institute (Safcei) and Earth Africa. The case was due for hearing in October.

Ramokgopa said that his decision to delay the procurement of the nuclear power station was made to preserve “the integrity of the nuclear procurement process.” The government is clear that it wants to add to the 1,900 MW capacity of the Koeberg nuclear power station outside Cape Town. But the government has to show that the nuclear power station was affordable, technological developments were taken into account, and that the 2,500 MW nuclear electricity was rational. Minister Ramokgopa  says that these conditions were met.

He said, “The department did all they could to ensure this was satisfied, and was successful in producing reports that answered those three suspensive conditions…” But he agreed with the objection raised by the NGOs that there should have been further public participation, and he wants to ensure that it is done. He clarified, “As a minister, I agree with Earthlife Africa and Safcei that the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) should have subjected that process to a public participation process. The last thing we want to do is a major build programme on the back of suspicion that the department and government is hiding something from the public.”

Makoma Lekalakala, director of Earthlife Africa of Johannesburg, said, “We appreciate that the minister had considered arguments against the incomplete public participation on the fulfilment of suspensive conditions as that had to go through comments by the public.” Francesca de Gaspiris, executive director of Safcei, said, “The announcement by the minister of energy that he has conceded to our court challenge on the procurement of new nuclear, is a victory indeed for democracy and for the public living in South Africa.”

The extra caution displayed by the South African government could be partially due to the 9,700 MW nuclear deal with Russia made by the scandal-scarred Jacob Zuma government in 2017, which was halted through a challenge in the court. Interestingly, Jacob Zuma and his newly-formed party, Umkhonto we Sizwe, are also part of the ruling coalition. Ramokgopa is certain that nuclear power is an essential element of South Africa’s energy future. “Increased nuclear generation capacity, in addition to what we have at Koeberg, is going to happen…What we really want to protect here is the integrity of the process and that is why we are taking one step back to allow us to take two steps and multiple steps going forward.”

South Africa is the most industrialised economy in Africa and it is also the only country with nuclear power generation capacity. It is not surprising that it wants to leverage its nuclear capacity for its growing economy and its 60 million population. It is clear that nuclear will not be able to meet its energy demand in any substantial way. South Africa’s energy demand comprises 70 per cent from coal, 18 per cent from oil and 2.6 per cent from nuclear power. So the demand by the NGOs whether the nuclear option is affordable and rational is so pertinent.