Environmental groups reject govt’s new nuclear plans
Earthlife Africa and the Southern African Faith Communities' Environment Institute (SAFCEI) have rejected the latest announcement by Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa to procure 2500MW of nuclear energy for South Africa.
Organisations previously won a case against government after it failed to consult the public about its decision to procure 9.6 gigawatts of nuclear energy.
The minister made the announcement during a media briefing on Tuesday.
The briefing comes just a day after the cabinet announced that it has approved the draft Integrated Resource Plan 2023 which outlines the country's energy plan.
Ramokgopa told the media that the new nuclear procurement process will now be gazetted.
The announcement comes as the country recorded a record number of load-shedding days in 2023, leaving households in the dark for hours and putting further strain on an already struggling economy.
He said all new regulatory requirements have been met.
This means an additional 2500MW of nuclear will be procured.
The minister lauded the project as a significant milestone for a reliable energy source in the country.
"This is a significant milestone because we know that historically, in the recent past, the process has been marred in controversy. Now we are happy that we have been able to iron out issues related to how the procurement process needs to unfold.
"We have met the regulatory requirements as per the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s legal requirement, and now we have the concurrence of NERSA, we can proceed."
Earthlife Africa's Makoma Lekalakala said it was surprising to see the announcement coming from the minister, adding that there has been a lack of communication by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa.
"We haven't heard from NERSA whether if the have concurred with the ministerial determination and whether the minister has satisfied the suspense conditions that they had given to him."
Lekalakala added the organisation was concerned that the minister might be flouting regulations.
"What is also surprising is that the Integrated Resource Plan is still under review, and how do they have this concurrence without the new Integrated Resource Plan?"
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