South Africa’s government has declared its intention to enhance the country’s nuclear power generation by an additional 2,500 megawatts.
This announcement was made on Tuesday, signaling a significant step towards addressing the energy deficit.
Currently, South Africa operates the sole nuclear facility on the African continent, the Koeberg nuclear power station, situated near Cape Town. However, the plant is functioning at merely half of its capacity.
According to Zizamele Mbambo, Deputy Director General of Nuclear Power at the Energy Ministry, the inauguration of the new nuclear units is anticipated to occur around 2032 or 2033.
He revealed this information during a press conference, noting that the government has already begun soliciting proposals from various vendors.
Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa expressed that the addition of the new nuclear power is poised to be “a significant milestone.”
He emphasized that this development is part of a broader governmental strategy aimed at “ending the existential challenge” that the nation faces concerning power shortages and ensuring long-term energy security.
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For over a decade and a half, South Africa has endured rotating power outages, sometimes lasting up to 12 hours daily, which have severely impacted the nation’s economy and tarnished the government’s image as it approaches an election next year.
Eskom, the national power company, has been marred by corruption allegations and persistent maintenance issues, contributing to the frequent power cuts.
In an effort to prolong the operational life of the Koeberg plant by 20 years, one of its units was taken offline for nearly a year, and the second unit has recently been shut down for maintenance.