South Africa plans to add 2,500 megawatts of new nuclear generation to combat crippling power outages, the government revealed Tuesday.
The country boasts Africa’s only nuclear power plant, however the Koeberg reactor near Cape Town is only operating at half capacity.
The first of the new units is expected to come online in 2032 or 2033, according to Zizamele Mbambo, the energy ministry’s deputy director general of nuclear power, during a press conference.
He said South Africa had already asked “different vendors” for proposals.
Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa described the additional 2,500MW of nuclear electricity as a “significant milestone.””I think the case is compelling, part of the reasons why we here with regards to the energy crises is that the generation cannot meet demand and therefore you need to have the additional generation capacity because we make point all the time that the Eskom fleet is aging and we need additional generation capacity.”
He went on to say that it will be part of the government’s effort to “end the existential challenge that the country is facing” in terms of power shortages and long-term energy security.
Power outages lasting up to 12 hours a day have harmed the economy and the government’s credibility as it prepares for an election next year.
Eskom, the national power company, has been plagued by corruption and maintenance issues, which have resulted in power outages.
One unit was stopped for nearly a year in order to extend the life of the Koeberg plant by 20 years, while the second unit was shut down for maintenance this week.
