South Africa pushes forward with plan to build 2,500MW of nuclear power
Electricity minister Kogisentsho Ramokgopa has announced that the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy’s (DMRE’s) plan to procure 2,500MW of new nuclear generation capacity is progressing and will be gazetted.
However, during a media briefing on Tuesday, 12 December 2023, the minister said it would be at least three to four years before South Africans see the benefit of the new generation capacity. However, this is likely an underestimate.
“We are starting the process of gazetting, so we are triggering essentially a procurement process,” he said.
“We are going out to ensure that we are able to get that additional 2,500MW of nuclear capacity to ensure that we are able to meet the issues of national security and energy sovereignty.”
The minister indicated that South Africans would start to see the benefit of the new nuclear generation capacity within three to four years.
However, DMRE deputy director-general for nuclear Zizamele Mbambo says it could take ten years.
“We found that the ideal time by which to start commissioning the first unit of this 2,500MW is around 2032/2033,” said Mbambo.
The DMRE had previously indicated that procurement would be completed by 2024, with the new capacity operational by 2030.
Zizamele Mbambo, deputy director-general for nuclear at the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy
“Remember here, we are dealing with a long-term project which requires us to start early to be able to optimise on time. At the minimum, it takes about ten to 12 years to be able to commission a nuclear power plant into the grid.”
The DMRE has yet to begin the design process for procuring the nuclear generation capacity. Mbambo said there was therefore no decision about whether South Africa would procure a conventional nuclear power plant, small modular reactors, or another design.
“At this stage, we cannot pronounce as to what the shape, form, and the format that the RFP [Request For Proposal] would look like or what it would call for,” said Mbambo.
However, it should be noted that when DMRE minister Gwede Mantashe first announced the plan, his department indicated it would take on a modular design.
“[A contract may be awarded to] develop a modular nuclear station on a build, operate and transfer basis, and that means no there will be no immediate call for funding from the state,” the DMRE said.
Ramokgopa’s announcement comes after the DMRE received approval from the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) regarding its plan to procure 2,500MW of nuclear generation in August 2021.
Nersa concurred with the Section 34 ministerial nuclear determination in terms of the Electricity Regulation Act, which put forward the plan for additional nuclear generation.
Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy
The DMRE then issued an RFP in early 2022 for a service provider to develop a procurement plan for an additional 2,500MW of nuclear power.
Mantashe first announced the plan in May 2020, saying a roadmap for the project would be “commencing soon”.
South Africa has been working to diversify its energy mix to move away from coal-fired plants while addressing the electricity crisis in South Africa.
In May 2023, Mantashe told Parliament that he would open bidding in July to procure additional renewable energy during his Budget Vote speech for the 2023/24 financial year.
Mantashe said Bid Windows 7 and 8 would each add 5,000MW of renewable energy.
In addition, the minister said more RFPs for procuring 1,230MW worth of battery storage would go out in the second and fourth quarters of 2023.
He also said RDFs would be published in the second quarter to procure 3,000MW of gas-to-power generation capacity.
Mantashe also indicated that a bid for proposals for the 2,500MW of nuclear generation capacity would open in the fourth quarter.
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