The procurement process for planned new nuclear in South Africa could be delayed by up to six months to allow for more consultation, the country’s energy minister said on Friday (16 August), following legal challenges.
The government said in December that it was preparing to request bids for an extra 2,500 MW of nuclear power, but the then-opposition Democratic Alliance party and two non-governmental organisations launched legal challenges to try to block the procurement.
The Democratic Alliance party is now part of the coalition government formed after the African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in three decades in an election in May.
Announcing the delay to the nuclear procurement on Friday, electricity and energy minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa conceded there should have been greater public participation so far.
He said he had decided to withdraw a document in the government gazette that would have allowed the procurement to proceed.
Officials will rework a report addressing conditions the energy regulator gave for its support for the procurement and consult the public again.
Ramokgopa made clear that the government still wanted to expand its nuclear capacity beyond the two-unit 1,854 MW (net) Koeberg nuclear station outside Cape Town at a pace and scale the country could afford.
He said nuclear remains part of the government’s plans, but added that it was happy to delay the process “to allow for each and every party in the country that wants to add a voice in how we are going to procure this process… to be given the opportunity to be able to make that submission”.
“Nuclear is part of the future, but it’s important that as we go out and procure, the procurement process must be able to stand the test of time,” the minister said.
He estimated the procurement process could be delayed by three to six months.
Koeberg is South Africa’s only commercial nuclear power station and the only such facility in Africa, although Russia is building a new nuclear station in Egypt.
Nuclear energy provided about 5% of South Africa’s electricity generation in 2022, according to International Atomic Energy Agency data.
Ramokgopa announced in December 2023 that Pretoria would begin a procurement process for an additional 2,500 MW of nuclear power capacity to tackle blackouts that have crippled the nation.
State utility and nuclear operator Eskom increased power cuts to record levels in 2023 as its fleet of coal stations struggled with constant breakdowns and plant malfunctions triggered by age, poor maintenance and corruption.
