Nuclear power in south africa pdf

South africa s nuclear new build programme is envisaged to bring tremendous socioeconomic benefits to the nation. South africas koeberg nuclear power station, the only nuclear power plant in africa, has been incidentfree in its 34year operations. The governments diversication strategy includes construction of a second nuclear power plant. Koeberg nuclear power station is a nuclear power station in south africa. South africas koeberg nuclear power station has accorded our country the opportunity of acquiring a wide spectrum of skills in plant operation, radiological and. May 19, 2015 south africa will have six new nuclear power plants by 2030, which will cost between r400 billion and r1 trillion to build, according to a report by reuters. South africa manufactured 6 airdeliverable nuclear weapons of the guntype design. It is located 30 km north of cape town, near melkbosstrand on the west coast of south africa. Discourse network on south africas nuclear power programme.

Since 1999, south africa has been developing pebble bed modular reactors, relatively low power units, and plans to build 24 of them by 2028. But already the noxious debate over their future has made nuclear energy a dirty word in south africa. Government commitment to the future of nuclear energy has been strong, but in august 2018 the new administration abandoned plans for new capacity to be installed before 2030. Why is the south african government pursuing a nuclear energy. Nuclear power in south africa south african nuclear energy. Introduction the demand for energy continually increases with south africa s developing population and economy. Nuclear energy in south korea, south korea needs to import some 97% of its energy requirements. The two reactors form the cornerstone of the south african nuclear program. The key project is the construction of new npps with the russian vver reactors totalling 9.

South africa has two nuclear reactors generating 5% of its electricity. South africa has two nuclear reactors generating 5% of its electricity at koeberg. Aug 15, 2018 up to this point, the south african nuclear program had been a closely guarded secret. Nov 20, 2017 the south african government has been driving its nuclear power plans forward over the last few months. Due to international pressure, the south african government canceled the test and ordered the dismantlement of the kalahari test site.

South african attitudes about nuclear power economics research. Final report findings of the african nuclear study. South africa may soon count as both old and new nuclear power. It was closed down in 1996 after 24 years of operation. South africa nuclear chronology nuclear threat initiative. Introduction the demand for energy continually increases with south africas developing population and economy. Background south africa has an energy intensive economy mainly as a consequence of. A less destructive use of nuclear technology was sought in the production of nuclear power. Since 1999, south africa has been developing pebble bed modular reactors, relatively lowpower units, and plans to build 24 of them by 2028.

However, the decision to use foreign fuel might change as the. South africas energy guru, chris yelland writing for slammed eskoms attempts to force nuclear power on south africa, adding to the voice of public opinion that. However, south africa s remaining dualuse nuclear capabilities have made it both a possible exporter of nuclear technology and knowhow, and a target for state. Jul 11, 2018 the chernobyl disaster reminded the world of the human and environmental costs of nuclear power accidents. The social shaping of nuclear energy technology in south africa. Feb 18, 2019 the strategic partnership implies joint implementation of the national nuclear power development programme of south africa. South africa plans three nuclear power stations south. Nuclear waste in south africa is generated by the koeberg nuclear power station, located some 30 km north of cape town, the researchorientated atomic energy corporation, or the aec, now known as. Since abandoning its nuclear weapons program, south africa has emerged as a champion of both global nuclear nonproliferation and equal access to peaceful nuclear energy. Pdf on apr 15, 2016, britta rennkamp and others published the. The nuclear industry association of south africaniasa is a body committed to promoting the highest standards in the development and application of nuclear technology in south africa. Fifteen countries rely on nuclear energy to supply at least a quarter of their total electricity. The country has attempted to construct a reactor twice in the past once in 2008 and again in 1998 only to have the plans abandoned due to financial constraints. There has been speculation that the world bank might be a source of funds to.

Brazil, russia, india, china and south africa that are collectively constructing more than 60% of all new nuclear power plants in the world 43 power reactors are under construction. When a nuclear power plant is functioning properly, it can run uninterrupted for up to 540 days. South africa s first commercial nuclear power reactor began operating in 1984. The site is located next to the existing koeberg nuclear power station. The system of international safeguards implemented by the iaea, however, has been effective in preventing diversions of nuclear materials from. Therefore the nwu launched this ongoing academic study to assess the place of new nuclear power plants within the southafrican power generation mix.

From the early days of nuclear power development there has been widespread concern that increased use of nuclear power would lead to the diversion of nuclear materials to clandestine weapons production. The south african government has plans to build another nuclear power station. Jump to south africa s recent developments and current status. Nuclear power has been touted as one of the solutions to meet this ever.

This report provides information on the status and development of nuclear power programmes in south africa, including factors related to the effective planning, decision making and implementation of the nuclear power programme that together lead to safe and economical operations of nuclear power plants. Secondly, there is the option of coal, more coal and still more coal power, to replace eskoms old, endoflife coalfired power stations. Nigeria and kenya both aim to add 4,000 mw of nuclear power to existing relatively low national grid capacity. Ranked among the top and most advanced electricity services providers in south africa, schmidhauser electrical is known for its high quality and professional competence. South african government commitment to the future of nuclear energy is strong. Nuclear energy academy of science of south africa website. Koeburg is located about 20 miles from cape town on the west coast of south africa. Pdf podcasts on the nuclear power procurement programme. Wilkinson, who was pardoned and given a government job after the fall of apartheid, is regarded as a hero by some south africans. However, south africas remaining dualuse nuclear capabilities have made it both a possible exporter of nuclear technology and knowhow, and a target for state.

Nuclear power is safe, clean, economic and sustainable an example of decommissioning the usa is the pioneer of nuclear power, and so has been the first country to decommission some of its old nuclear facilities. South africa is the only country in africa with a commercial nuclear power plant two reactors located at the koeberg nuclear power station accounts for around 5% of south africa s electricity production. South africa accepts nuclear plant ruling, plans to start. Up to this point, the south african nuclear program had been a closely guarded secret. South africa will have six new nuclear power plants by 2030, which will cost between r400 billion and r1 trillion to build, according to a report by reuters. Mar 17, 2015 rodney wilkinson planted four bombs at the koeberg nuclear power plant north of capetown, south africa, in december 1982, in one of the most successful attacks on a nuclear installation ever recorded.

South africas energy minister decided to ignore the conclusions of his modeling team and pre sented a revised irp2017 to cabinet on 6 december 2017, which still included the procurement of 9,6 gw of nuclear power but over a longer period to reflect lower electricity demand. The third explanation, though poorly developed in the current literature on south africas nuclear policy, stems mainly from the domestic political environment in which the decision was made. Pdf can new nuclear power compete with new renewables in. The key project is construction of new nuclear power plants with the russian vver reactors totaling 9. The strategic partnership implies joint implementation of the national nuclear power development programme of south africa. Energy statistics energy values are in exajoules except where indicated annual average growth rate % total energy requirements. South africa has embarked on a nuclear new build power programme as part of its integrated resource plan. South africa plans to use fuel created from former russian nuclear warheads to fuel a new line of small nuclear power plants. Before the anticipated changeover to a majorityelected african national congressled government in the 1990s, the south african government dismantled all of its nuclear weapons, the first state in the world which. Only a decade ago, nuclear power used to be the cheapest nonco2 emitting generation technology. Koeberg is owned and operated by the countrys only national electricity supplier, eskom. Npt nonnuclear weapon state formerly possessed nuclear weapons. In due course, nuclear could be an energy source for much of africa, where only south africa currently has a. There is currently one nuclear power station in south africa, situated at koeberg, cape town, in the western cape province.

Jul 24, 2009 south africa is considering the construction of three nuclear power stations on its coastline despite objections from environmentalists. Firstly, there is the big newnuclear option for south africa, to replace the old coalfired power stations that have to be retired as they reach endoflife. The nuclear power plant accident of 11 march 2011 at fukushima in japan caused. New nuclear build in south africa advances a step further as the department of environmental affairs dea has granted eskom permission to proceed with the nuclear installation at duynefontein in the western cape. Nuclear power in south korea nuclear energy in the. Spent fuel is disposed of at vaalputs radioactive waste disposal facility in the northern cape the safari1 tank in pool research reactor is located at the pelindaba nuclear research. South african nuclear program atomic heritage foundation.

The nuclear materials, equipment, special nonnuclear materials and relevant technologies received by the republic of south africa under the present agreement as well as the nuclear and special nonnuclear materials, facilities and government of the russian federation. In south africa, nuclear energy is becoming a dirty word. Nuclear power in south africa south african nuclear. Rodney wilkinson planted four bombs at the koeberg nuclear power plant north of capetown, south africa, in december 1982, in one of the most successful attacks on a nuclear installation ever recorded.

The country currently has africa s sole nuclear plant. Is there a future for civil nuclear energy in subsaharan africa. An example is the maine yankee nuclear power plant, a 860 mwe pwr. South africas quest for a nuclear deterrent began with research into peaceful nuclear explosives pnes in 1969. The plant is formed of two pressurised water reactors pwr which have a capacity of 970mw, offering a combined capacity of 1. According to reuters 2015, south africa will have new nuclear power. Dec, 2016 the nuclear reactors are still a plan on paper. The implications of south africas nuclear power programme 1.

There have long been concerns, as recently expressed by president zumas minister of finance, malusi gigaba, that south africa cannot afford nuclear power. Nuclear power plants are flexible and very reliable. Pdf the social shaping of nuclear energy technology in south africa. It is currently the only one on the entire african continent. South africas previous nuclear power attempts shed further light on the financial issues surrounding the establishment of nuclear reactors. South africa and weapons of mass destruction wikipedia. South africa is presently the only african country with a commercial nuclear power plant. South africa is considering the construction of three nuclear power stations on its coastline despite objections from environmentalists. The nuclear industry association of south africa niasa is a body committed to promoting the highest standards in the development and application of nuclear technology in south africa. Nuclear power is safe, clean, economic and sustainable. It has two nuclear reactors, and generates approximately ve percent of the countrys electricity. Years back, nuclear energy was a fancy option limited to the industrialized world.

As for the future, we have to wait and see which other african countries will build nuclear power plants. Although pretoria initially would not confirm it was developing, or possessed, nuclear weapons, it had large natural deposits of uranium, as well as uranium enrichment facilities and the necessary technological infrastructure. The south african government has been driving its nuclear power plans forward over the last few months. The world looked on aghast at the mushroom clouds over nagasaki and hiroshima in 1945. Nuclear economics march 2016 20162016outlook report policy background in gdp terms, south africa is the second largest economy in africa but it has the highest energy consumption on the continent, accounting for about 30 per cent of total primary energy consumption in africa. South africas nuclear new build programme is envisaged to bring tremendous socioeconomic benefits to the nation. In september 2014 rosatom signed an agreement with south africas energy minister to advance the prospect of building up to 9.

The chernobyl disaster reminded the world of the human and environmental costs of nuclear power accidents. Nuclear power itself is an expensive investment liao et al. It is the only nuclear power plant in africa and is the most. Today 20 reactors provide almost 40% of south koreas electricity. The agreement will see russias atomic energy agency providing up to eight nuclear reactors to south africa.