South Africa to procure additional 2500 MW of nuclear power-minister - Reuters
South Africa to procure additional 2,500 MW of nuclear power-minister | Reuters
South Africa to procure additional 2,500 MW of nuclear power-minister
South African Minister of Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa briefs the media on implementation of the Energy Action Plan, at Tshedimosetso House in Hatfield, Tshwane, South Africa September 26, 2023. Jairus Mmutle/GCIS/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights
CAPE TOWN, Dec 12 (Reuters) - South Africa will start a procurement process for an additional 2,500 megawatts (MW) of nuclear power, Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said on Tuesday.
The country expects to commission the first unit of the new 2,500 MW nuclear project by 2032/33, said Zizamele Mbambo, a senior official at the energy ministry.
The announcement comes as South Africa faced its worst rolling blackouts on record this year, leaving businesses and households without power for up to 10 hours on some days.
Reporting by Wendell Roelf, Writing by Tannur Anders; Editing by Edmund Klamann, Bhargav Acharya and Shri Navaratnam
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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.