Restore The Power Grid | Scientist banking on mini nuclear reactors - eNCA
Restore The Power Grid | Scientist banking on mini nuclear reactors - eNCA
PRETORIA - South Africans have had to deal with power cuts on most days since the festive period ended.
Now, a Pretoria nuclear scientist is banking on a new generation of mini nuclear reactors to plug holes in the blackout-plagued grid.
Ramaphosa: We are going to make Eskom more competitive
Kelvin Kemm’s also got his eye on building an export industry for the future.
His company has designed a gas-cooled small modular reactor, which it says can be installed within three years, on a site smaller than a football field, and produce enough power for a city.
Watch the video above for more details.
Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: nuclear
Nuclear energy provides almost 20 percent of the U.S. electricity supply. Advocates have called for an expanded role for nuclear as an emissions-free fuel source. But the economics of building new reactors are daunting. In addition, lingering safety concerns are an institutionalized part of the calculation of nuclear regulation, and highly radioactive nuclear waste remains a can that public officials have been inclined to kick down the road. The Energy Information Administration projects a sharp decline in nuclear power generation over the next decade, as new nuclear plants — two are planned — are more than offset by anticipated retirements of several operating reactors.