#MTBPS2015: No evidence of nuclear plans
Inspectors searching for detailed evidence about nuclear plans in the mid-year budget proposal statement (MTBPS) on Wednesday were disappointed, but Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene told journalists the nuclear plans had not been dumped at all.
He said the plans for generating nuclear power formed part of the “energy mix”, for which R200 billion had been set aside. Nene – who is on record as saying that if the nuclear build was unaffordable he would not sign off on it – reminded journalists that “we have a very transparent budget process” and that details would be made public as soon as projects had been approved.
The opposition has pressed Nene to release copies of planning documents setting out the financing and feasibility of the government’s nuclear power expansion programme.
Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson has so far refused to provide studies by her department showing that the country could carry the cost.
And, earlier this month, Treasury director general Lungisa Fuzile said he was not cleared to share any of the specifics of the reports compiled on the nuclear build, most notably the cost implications. “There are several pieces of work we have done on this. Most of them have been conducted actually,” said Fuzile.
“The latest one is what we have been doing with the department of energy … which is the working out in a little bit more detail the financial implications, costing model or financing model for instance. Even cabinet hasn’t seen it.” - ANA
(File photo: Gallo Images)