Only a decade ago, nuclear power used to be the cheapest nonco2 emitting generation technology. Nuclear power is safe, clean, economic and sustainable an example of decommissioning the usa is the pioneer of nuclear power, and so has been the first country to decommission some of its old nuclear facilities. Ranked among the top and most advanced electricity services providers in south africa, schmidhauser electrical is known for its high quality and professional competence. Since 1999, south africa has been developing pebble bed modular reactors, relatively low power units, and plans to build 24 of them by 2028. Jul 24, 2009 south africa is considering the construction of three nuclear power stations on its coastline despite objections from environmentalists. The two reactors form the cornerstone of the south african nuclear program.
Pdf can new nuclear power compete with new renewables in. This report provides information on the status and development of nuclear power programmes in south africa, including factors related to the effective planning, decision making and implementation of the nuclear power programme that together lead to safe and economical operations of nuclear power plants. Up to this point, the south african nuclear program had been a closely guarded secret. South africa is presently the only african country with a commercial nuclear power plant. Feb 18, 2019 the strategic partnership implies joint implementation of the national nuclear power development programme of south africa. Pdf podcasts on the nuclear power procurement programme. South africas koeberg nuclear power station, the only nuclear power plant in africa, has been incidentfree in its 34year operations. Nuclear power has been touted as one of the solutions to meet this ever. Fifteen countries rely on nuclear energy to supply at least a quarter of their total electricity. South african attitudes about nuclear power economics research. Pdf the social shaping of nuclear energy technology in south africa. The world looked on aghast at the mushroom clouds over nagasaki and hiroshima in 1945. But already the noxious debate over their future has made nuclear energy a dirty word in south africa. Why is the south african government pursuing a nuclear energy.
Nuclear economics march 2016 20162016outlook report policy background in gdp terms, south africa is the second largest economy in africa but it has the highest energy consumption on the continent, accounting for about 30 per cent of total primary energy consumption in africa. May 19, 2015 south africa will have six new nuclear power plants by 2030, which will cost between r400 billion and r1 trillion to build, according to a report by reuters. From the 1960s to the 1990s, south africa pursued research into weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. South africas previous nuclear power attempts shed further light on the financial issues surrounding the establishment of nuclear reactors. Therefore the nwu launched this ongoing academic study to assess the place of new nuclear power plants within the southafrican power generation mix. A lot of countries are expressing an interest in nuclear programmes, added oliver bard, nuclear project director of edf south africa. South africa manufactured 6 airdeliverable nuclear weapons of the guntype design. South africas energy guru, chris yelland writing for slammed eskoms attempts to force nuclear power on south africa, adding to the voice of public opinion that. From the early days of nuclear power development there has been widespread concern that increased use of nuclear power would lead to the diversion of nuclear materials to clandestine weapons production. However, the decision to use foreign fuel might change as the. Government commitment to the future of nuclear energy has been strong, but in august 2018 the new administration abandoned plans for new capacity to be installed before 2030. Nuclear energy is a strategic priority for south korea and capacity is planned to increase by 56% to 27. South africa and weapons of mass destruction wikipedia. Koeberg nuclear power station is a nuclear power station in south africa.
The implications of south africas nuclear power programme. Introduction the demand for energy continually increases with south africas developing population and economy. Wilkinson, who was pardoned and given a government job after the fall of apartheid, is regarded as a hero by some south africans. Pdf on apr 15, 2016, britta rennkamp and others published the. Background south africa has an energy intensive economy mainly as a consequence of. There has been speculation that the world bank might be a source of funds to. Nuclear power in south korea nuclear energy in the. Since abandoning its nuclear weapons program, south africa has emerged as a champion of both global nuclear nonproliferation and equal access to peaceful nuclear energy. South africas energy minister decided to ignore the conclusions of his modeling team and pre sented a revised irp2017 to cabinet on 6 december 2017, which still included the procurement of 9,6 gw of nuclear power but over a longer period to reflect lower electricity demand.
The agreement will see russias atomic energy agency providing up to eight nuclear reactors to south africa. In due course, nuclear could be an energy source for much of africa, where only south africa currently has a. The key project is construction of new nuclear power plants with the russian vver reactors totaling 9. South africa may soon count as both old and new nuclear power. Mar 17, 2015 rodney wilkinson planted four bombs at the koeberg nuclear power plant north of capetown, south africa, in december 1982, in one of the most successful attacks on a nuclear installation ever recorded.
An example is the maine yankee nuclear power plant, a 860 mwe pwr. The nuclear materials, equipment, special nonnuclear materials and relevant technologies received by the republic of south africa under the present agreement as well as the nuclear and special nonnuclear materials, facilities and government of the russian federation. The south african government has been driving its nuclear power plans forward over the last few months. In september 2014 rosatom signed an agreement with south africas energy minister to advance the prospect of building up to 9. Energy statistics energy values are in exajoules except where indicated annual average growth rate % total energy requirements. There is currently one nuclear power station in south africa, situated at koeberg, cape town, in the western cape province.
Nuclear power in south africa south african nuclear. The country currently has africa s sole nuclear plant. South africa is the only country in africa with a commercial nuclear power plant two reactors located at the koeberg nuclear power station accounts for around 5% of south africa s electricity production. However, south africa s remaining dualuse nuclear capabilities have made it both a possible exporter of nuclear technology and knowhow, and a target for state. Years back, nuclear energy was a fancy option limited to the industrialized world. It is located 30 km north of cape town, near melkbosstrand on the west coast of south africa. South africas nuclear new build programme is envisaged to bring tremendous socioeconomic benefits to the nation.
It was closed down in 1996 after 24 years of operation. Npt nonnuclear weapon state formerly possessed nuclear weapons. The third explanation, though poorly developed in the current literature on south africas nuclear policy, stems mainly from the domestic political environment in which the decision was made. South africa s first commercial nuclear power reactor began operating in 1984. Koeburg is located about 20 miles from cape town on the west coast of south africa. South africa plans to use fuel created from former russian nuclear warheads to fuel a new line of small nuclear power plants.
Jul 11, 2018 the chernobyl disaster reminded the world of the human and environmental costs of nuclear power accidents. Nuclear energy academy of science of south africa website. Before the anticipated changeover to a majorityelected african national congressled government in the 1990s, the south african government dismantled all of its nuclear weapons, the first state in the world which. Koeberg is owned and operated by the countrys only national electricity supplier, eskom. South africa nuclear chronology nuclear threat initiative. We call on the people of south africa to oppose the governments shady nuclear deals and to support a safe, clean and. The plant is formed of two pressurised water reactors pwr which have a capacity of 970mw, offering a combined capacity of 1.
Discourse network on south africas nuclear power programme. South africa plans three nuclear power stations south. Hypocritical eskom forcing nuclear power on sa the. Nuclear power in south africa south african nuclear energy. The social shaping of nuclear energy technology in south africa. Nuclear waste in south africa is generated by the koeberg nuclear power station, located some 30 km north of cape town, the researchorientated atomic energy corporation, or the aec, now known as. South africa has two nuclear reactors generating 5% of its electricity.
The governments diversication strategy includes construction of a second nuclear power plant. Introduction the demand for energy continually increases with south africa s developing population and economy. Rodney wilkinson planted four bombs at the koeberg nuclear power plant north of capetown, south africa, in december 1982, in one of the most successful attacks on a nuclear installation ever recorded. Due to international pressure, the south african government canceled the test and ordered the dismantlement of the kalahari test site.
The site is located next to the existing koeberg nuclear power station. There have long been concerns, as recently expressed by president zumas minister of finance, malusi gigaba, that south africa cannot afford nuclear power. South africas quest for a nuclear deterrent began with research into peaceful nuclear explosives pnes in 1969. Nigeria and kenya both aim to add 4,000 mw of nuclear power to existing relatively low national grid capacity. As for the future, we have to wait and see which other african countries will build nuclear power plants. The implications of south africas nuclear power programme 1. South africa s nuclear new build programme is envisaged to bring tremendous socioeconomic benefits to the nation. New nuclear build in south africa advances a step further as the department of environmental affairs dea has granted eskom permission to proceed with the nuclear installation at duynefontein in the western cape. The country has attempted to construct a reactor twice in the past once in 2008 and again in 1998 only to have the plans abandoned due to financial constraints.
Aug 15, 2018 up to this point, the south african nuclear program had been a closely guarded secret. South africa has embarked on a nuclear new build power programme as part of its integrated resource plan. It is currently the only one on the entire african continent. Jump to south africa s recent developments and current status. According to reuters 2015, south africa will have new nuclear power. South africa is considering the construction of three nuclear power stations on its coastline despite objections from environmentalists. The nuclear industry association of south africaniasa is a body committed to promoting the highest standards in the development and application of nuclear technology in south africa. Firstly, there is the big newnuclear option for south africa, to replace the old coalfired power stations that have to be retired as they reach endoflife. Spent fuel is disposed of at vaalputs radioactive waste disposal facility in the northern cape the safari1 tank in pool research reactor is located at the pelindaba nuclear research. Brazil, russia, india, china and south africa that are collectively constructing more than 60% of all new nuclear power plants in the world 43 power reactors are under construction. The south african government has plans to build another nuclear power station. Nuclear power itself is an expensive investment liao et al.
Nuclear power is safe, clean, economic and sustainable. South african government commitment to the future of nuclear energy is strong. It is the only nuclear power plant in africa and is the most. South africa accepts nuclear plant ruling, plans to start. South africa will have six new nuclear power plants by 2030, which will cost between r400 billion and r1 trillion to build, according to a report by reuters. Nuclear power in south africa was constructed in the 1980s, and has served south africa well for the last 30 years. South africas koeberg nuclear power station has accorded our country the opportunity of acquiring a wide spectrum of skills in plant operation, radiological and.
Final report findings of the african nuclear study. South african nuclear program atomic heritage foundation. Nuclear power plants are flexible and very reliable. The nuclear power plant accident of 11 march 2011 at fukushima in japan caused. The strategic partnership implies joint implementation of the national nuclear power development programme of south africa. Nov 20, 2017 the south african government has been driving its nuclear power plans forward over the last few months.
When a nuclear power plant is functioning properly, it can run uninterrupted for up to 540 days. South africa has two nuclear reactors generating 5% of its electricity at koeberg. The nuclear industry association of south africa niasa is a body committed to promoting the highest standards in the development and application of nuclear technology in south africa. It has two nuclear reactors, and generates approximately ve percent of the countrys electricity. Nuclear energy in south korea, south korea needs to import some 97% of its energy requirements. South african who attacked a nuclear plant is a hero to. However, south africas remaining dualuse nuclear capabilities have made it both a possible exporter of nuclear technology and knowhow, and a target for state. Is there a future for civil nuclear energy in subsaharan africa. The system of international safeguards implemented by the iaea, however, has been effective in preventing diversions of nuclear materials from. The chernobyl disaster reminded the world of the human and environmental costs of nuclear power accidents.
This is because power is imperative for macroeconomic. Secondly, there is the option of coal, more coal and still more coal power, to replace eskoms old, endoflife coalfired power stations. Although pretoria initially would not confirm it was developing, or possessed, nuclear weapons, it had large natural deposits of uranium, as well as uranium enrichment facilities and the necessary technological infrastructure. Jump to south africas recent developments and current status. A less destructive use of nuclear technology was sought in the production of nuclear power.
Dec, 2016 the nuclear reactors are still a plan on paper. Since 1999, south africa has been developing pebble bed modular reactors, relatively lowpower units, and plans to build 24 of them by 2028. In south africa, nuclear energy is becoming a dirty word. Today 20 reactors provide almost 40% of south koreas electricity. South africa has a track record of safe and secure nuclear power plant operation and maintenance, as well as world class research capabilities and development experience and use of nuclear power technology. The key project is the construction of new npps with the russian vver reactors totalling 9.