Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

3-minute read
13 December 2023 | 16:16 CAT

BusinessTech

On Tuesday, the South African government announced plans to build new nuclear power stations to generate more electricity amid an energy crisis and regular blackouts in the continent’s most advanced economy.

According to officials, the move to invite bids to build the stations — which will take at least a decade to be ready — was immediately criticized by the main political opposition party, which said that Russian state-owned nuclear agency Rosatom was the South African government’s “preferred partner.”

Environmentalists are also up in arms after Minister of Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa announced the government’s plans to build a new nuclear energy project.

The minister says this was to ensure energy security and that the government will begin the process of procuring 2500 MW of new nuclear energy to come on stream in 2032 or 2033.

Southern African Faith Communities Environment Institute (SAFCEI) Executive Director Francesca de Gasparis said civil society had met the announcement with disbelief.

“All the independent modelling shows that nuclear energy is neither affordable nor needed in our energy mix now or in the future. We know electricity baseload does not need nuclear energy and in the absence of a finalized and fully reviewed IRP2023, the government’s announcement seems to be motivated by greed, not need,” says de Gasparis.

According to de Gasparis, during the question time of the announcement, queries about the true costs associated with nuclear energy were met with non-answers.

“If the government was serious about addressing the energy needs of the people living in South Africa, in our view, decision-making would be going in a totally different direction from this,” de Gasparis added.

Listen to the full interview on the Daily Round-Up with Moulana Junaid Kharsany.