South Africa will delay the launch of a procurement course of for a brand new nuclear energy station to permit for extra session, vitality minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa mentioned on Friday, following authorized challenges.
The federal government mentioned in December final 12 months that it was getting ready to request bids for an additional 2.5GW of nuclear energy, however the then-opposition Democratic Alliance and two non-governmental organisations launched authorized challenges to attempt to block the procurement.
The DA is now a part of the nation’s unity authorities shaped after the ANC misplaced its parliamentary majority for the primary time in three many years in an election in Could.
Addressing reporters on Friday, Ramokgopa conceded there ought to have been better public participation within the course of. He mentioned he had determined to withdraw a doc within the Authorities Gazette that may have allowed the procurement to proceed.
Officers will rework a report addressing circumstances the vitality regulator gave for its help for the procurement and seek the advice of the general public once more.
Ramokgopa made clear that the federal government nonetheless needed to broaden its nuclear capability past the 1.9GW Koeberg plant exterior Cape City at a tempo and scale the nation might afford.
“Nuclear is a part of the long run, however it’s essential that as we exit and procure, the procurement course of should have the ability to stand the take a look at of time,” the minister mentioned. He estimated the procurement course of may very well be delayed by three to 6 months.
Cautious
Many South Africans are cautious of the federal government’s nuclear ambitions after a 9.6GW take care of Russia initiated throughout Jacob Zuma’s scandal-plagued presidency was thwarted in 2017 by a court docket problem.
South Africans have struggled with energy outages for years, however this 12 months there was a marked enchancment in energy availability with no energy cuts for greater than 4 months.
Koeberg is the one operational nuclear energy plant on the African continent. It was granted a 20-year life extension final month. — Tannur Anders, (c) 2024 Reuters
