South Africa – leveraging on its record of producing nuclear pebble-bed reactor fuel – is working on plans to become a global supplier of a high-temperature reactor (HTR) fuel and will invest in multipurpose reactor technology envisaged for commercial deployment beyond 2030.
Speaking at the Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels on Friday, South Africa’s ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union, Tokozile Zasa said given Africa’s endowment with critical mineral resources needed for the just energy transition, including uranium used in various nuclear applications among others, for the generation of clean base-load energy and nuclear research reactors.
“SA plans to leverage on the beneficiation of these resources to produce feedstock for Africa’s nuclear power plants, while developing its own pebble-bed modular reactor (PBMR) technology as a strategic project, considering all required approvals,” Xasa said.
She said South Africa’s procurement of 2 500MW-nuclear new build would see the government issue a request for proposals to the market this year.
Local nuclear-energy experts have expressed concern over the 14-year mothballing by the government of its PBMR project in Pelandaba, which was put under care and maintenance in 2010.
A nuclear engineer who preferred to remain anonymous said a process to identify and engage a suitable partner to develop nuclear-energy capacity was required.
“When the PBMR was put on care and maintenance, part of the mandate was that the government would no longer bear the risk alone, but would find another partner to establish a demonstration plant for future nuclear-energy capacity development.
“It could be one or two partners, as long as they had the capacity to share the risk. They must be able to show us and identify the potential orders or production to off-take, and the development of future capacity,” he said.
Xasa said the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa (Necsa) would continue to develop, utilise, and manage nuclear technology for national socio-economic development through, among others, the production and global supply of quality radiation-based products and services, including industrial and medical radioisotopes.
“Mindful of the ageing SAFARI 1, Necsa is working on a feasibility study to prepare for a new multipurpose reactor for the sustenance of its research and development mandate,” Xasa said.
Necsa chairman David Nichols confirmed the entity was in talks with the government to have some functions handled exclusively by embattled Eskom be transferred to Necsa.
“There is a process to transfer the PBMR to Necsa. As a research facility, this would fit with our programmes for prospects of further development. We could offer helium-testing services and nuclear-fuel development for the growing demand globally and on the African continent,” he said.
He said there was an in-principle approval of the process with the regulatory considerations being worked on.
“The Department of Minerals and Energy is responsible for the strategy governing the building of additional nuclear plants including any small modular reactor.
“Eskom would implement government policy once the decision is made on any nuclear-type. Eskom has a great working relationship with Necsa as well as local universities that do research in the nuclear field,” Eskom said.
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