BUSINESS NEWS - South Africa will push ahead with its nuclear expansion plan but will now do so at a slower pace, as weak economic growth means there is less demand for power, Energy Minister David Mahlobo said on Thursday.
South Africa has the continent’s only nuclear power station and is seeking to expand its nuclear, wind, solar and coal power capacity in the coming decades.
Energy analysts have said the plan for 9.6 gigawatts (GW) of new nuclear capacity was ambitious on timescale and unnecessary, while opponents of President Jacob Zuma raised concerns about a lack of transparency in a deal which could cost the country tens of billions of dollars.
Nuclear reactor makers including Russia’s Rosatom, South Korea’s Kepco, France’s EDF, Toshiba-owned Westinghouse and China’s CGN are expected to bid for the project.
“Pursuing nuclear, for me, it’s not a story. The energy ministry will proceed. If you want to invest in nuclear, there are opportunities,” Mahlobo told reporters at an energy conference outside Johannesburg.
