The plant is formed of two pressurised water reactors pwr which have a capacity of 970mw, offering a combined capacity of 1. South african attitudes about nuclear power economics research. Nuclear power station in cape town, south africa for almost 30 years. An example is the maine yankee nuclear power plant, a 860 mwe pwr.
South africa s nuclear new build programme is envisaged to bring tremendous socioeconomic benefits to the nation. It is the only commercial nuclear power station on the african continent and only one of four in the southern hemisphere. These are the largest dry cooling plants in the world. South africa has two nuclear reactors generating 5% of its electricity at koeberg.
Why south africa should not build eight new nuclear power. Nuclear power is essential for national progress nuclear africa. South africa already has the only african active nuclear power station, ghana is going ahead with development of a 700mw nuclear plant with plans to expand to mw, and other countries including kenya, egypt, ghana and the democratic republic of the congo have researchoriented nuclear reactors. South african government commitment to the future of nuclear energy is strong. 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. The nuclear power sector in south africa, and its foreign principals, need to take transparency, due process and participatory democracy seriously.
It is the committees opinion, based upon our experience, that the nuclear industry should continue to take the initiative to bring the standards of every american nuclear plant up to those of the best plants in the united states and the world. South africa is presently the only african country with a commercial nuclear power plant. The truth about nuclear power in sa south africa news. It is currently the only one on the entire african continent. Selecting sites for nuclear centres choice of site for a nuclear facility, which is often a matter of considerable public interest, must be based on more numerous and varied considerations. After condensing the steam, the warm sea water is discharged back into the. In 2010, before the fukushima daiichi nuclear disaster, it was reported that an average of about 10 nuclear reactors were expected to become. The two reactors at koeberg are as of 2017 the only commercial nuclear power plants on the african continent and accounts for around 5% of south africas electricity production. For example, eskoms coalfired power stations are located near to the coal fields. Nuclear power in south africa south african nuclear energy. It is also interesting to note that at koeberg power station, africa s only nuclear power plant, a different cooling system is used. Germany went as far as adopting a road map that would lead to the eventual closure of all its nuclear power stations. South africa plans three nuclear power stations south.
Sa looks nearly set to start new nuclear power station. The two reactors at koeberg are as of 2017 the only commercial nuclear power plants on. It is surrounded by a private game reserve and has been targeted by environmental protesters. Two reactors located at the koeberg nuclear power station accounts for around 5% of south africas electricity production.
Discourse network on south africas nuclear power programme. South africa is the only country in africa with a commercial nuclear power plant. Social and ethical considerations of nuclear power development john r. The irp2010 plan released in april 2010 called for the construction of six nuclear stations generating 9,6 gw of energy by 2030, with. Social and ethical considerations of nuclear power.
Koeberg nuclear power station is a nuclear power station in south africa. 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 plants south africa eskom, the south african electric utility, operates a 2 unit site at koeberg nuclear power station near capetown. Nuclear power in south africa while the likely cost of south africa s planned nuclear power stations has been grabbing headlines, a more pertinent question is. Eskom supplies about 95% of south africas electricity and approximately 45%. From the 1960s to the 1990s, south africa pursued research into weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons.
It is located 30 km north of cape town, near melkbosstrand on the west coast of south africa. Nuclear power plants currently operate in 31 countries. The new facilities will have a combined capacity of about 16 gigawatts gw, up from present nuclear generating capacity of around 11 gw most of which is due to shut down over the next 10 years see table 1. The strategic partnership implies joint implementation of the national nuclear power development programme of south africa.
The nuclear power plant accident of 11 march 2011 at fukushima in japan caused. The safari1 tank in pool research reactor is located at the pelindaba nuclear research centre in gauteng. South african who attacked a nuclear plant is a hero to his government and fellow citizens 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. A company born in africa, for africa, empowering afrca. South africa s previous nuclear power attempts shed further light on the financial issues surrounding the establishment of nuclear reactors. This is a list of power stations around the world by countries or regions. The implications of south africas nuclear power programme 1. The united states is the largest producer of nuclear power, while france has the largest share of electricity generated by nuclear power. Pdf the social shaping of nuclear energy technology in south africa. The agreement will see russias atomic energy agency providing up to eight nuclear reactors to south africa.
South african who attacked a nuclear plant is a hero to. We call on the people of south africa to oppose the governments shady. Koeberg showcases south africa s successful history of nuclear operations. This clear political momentum behind the nuclear power option coexists with continuing debates about the economic rationale for south africa taking on an investment commitment. It has been operating since 1984 and holds the record for the longest continuous operating eskom unit. It was closed down in 1996 after 24 years of operation.
South africa s renewable energy independent power producer procurement programme reipppp for utilityscale transactions signed 27 power purchase agreements in june 2018, and plans to add 19,400 mw of new renewable generation by 2030 according to the draft updated integrated resource plan irp released in august 2018. Most are in europe, north america, east asia and south asia. The key project is the construction of new npps with the russian vver reactors totalling 9. South africa produces around 229,200 gigawatthours 825,000 tj electricity annually. Nuclear power stations take a long time to build up to ten to twelve years per reactor and megaprojects are prone to high cost and time overruns.
Thermal power stations, whether coalfired, gas, oil or nuclear, require large quantities of water for cooling purposes. South africa s koeberg nuclear power station, the only nuclear power plant in africa, has been incidentfree in its 34year operations. Nuclear power has been touted as one of the solutions to meet this ever. Pdf on apr 15, 2016, britta rennkamp and others published the social. However, south africa is a water stressed country, which poses challenges for the supply of water. Energy minister tina joematpettersson told parliament on 19 may that south africa will start the nuclear build programme in 2015, in a bid to generate an additional 9,600mw of electricity. Koeberg is owned and operated by the countrys only national electricity supplier, eskom. This country, with its constitution, democratic institutions and processes under the rule of law is not russia, china or the middle east. In south africa too the need for the continued inclusion of nuclear power in. 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. Koeburg is located about 20 miles from cape town on the west coast of south africa. Highlevel nuclear waste in the form of spent nuclear fuel elements from koeberg nuclear power station for the last 30 years is currently stored on the koeberg site, and is the responsibility of. Eskoms koeberg nuclear power station supplies about 5% of. Nuclear power in south africa south african nuclear.
The safety requirements are primary determinants of the suitability of a site for nuclear power stations, but environmental impacts are also important and need to be evaluated. Each unit is a 3 loop framatome pressurized water reactor rated at 920 mwe. Pdf nuclear energy technology adoption by intensive energy. South africa needs flexibility in an uncertain and unpredictable world, where electricity demand is difficult to predict in the years ahead, and. The two reactors form the cornerstone of the south african nuclear program. Introduction the demand for energy continually increases with south africa s developing population and economy.
As for the future, we have to wait and see which other african countries will build nuclear power plants. South africas total electricity needs and approximately 50% of the. The site is located next to the existing koeberg nuclear power station. Low and intermediate waste is disposed of at vaalputs radioactive waste disposal facility in the northern cape. With zuma seen out of office, in january then deputy president cyril ramaphosa scuppered any nuclear ambitions when he said south africa simply has no money to build a nuclear power station. Final report findings of the african nuclear study.
The south african government has plans to build another nuclear power station. Nuclear power is safe, clean, economic and sustainable. This is in part to help meet south africa s growing electricity needs and in part to reduce the countrys high greenhouse gas emissions. The uk will build 10 new nuclear power stations by 2025, the government said last month. A power station also referred to as a generating station, power plant, powerhouse or generating plant is an industrial place for the generation of electric power. An updated initial capital cost estimation and lcoe calculation for the proposed 9,6 gw new nuclear build in south africa is particularly relevant at this time in view of the fierce debate raging. Parkins, associate professor of sociology, department of rural.
The country currently has africas sole nuclear plant, koeberg, near cape town, which began generating electricity in 1984. Consumption was about 4200 kwh per capita in 2014 3. Nuclear energy in south africa, 2014 guy cunliffe, 04 aug. Spent fuel is disposed of at vaalputs radioactive waste disposal facility in the northern cape. South africa and weapons of mass destruction wikipedia. South africas koeberg nuclear power station has accorded our country the opportunity of acquiring a wide spectrum of skills in plant operation, radiological and. Chronic poor performers should be identified publicly and should face the threat of insurance.
In 2016 the country produced 253 twh, this being 227 twh from coal, 15 twh from nuclear, 7 twh from solar and wind, and 4 twh from hydro. 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. This work includes having completed over 150 modifications on the plant and is supplemented by nuclear services contracts with a number of foreign nuclear power stations and includes over 75 interventions located in england, brazil, china, france and the usa and. A new report reveals that south africa has enough nuclear explosives to power halfadozen nuclear bombs, and refuses to relinquish them south africa refuses to let go of its nuclear. Nuclear energy policy for the republic of south africa. Thyspunt nuclear power station with the announcement of eskoms plans to build the next nuclear power station 70 kms south east from port elisabeth between cape st francis and oyster bay many discussions and debates have been provoked. The three new nuclear stations provisionally known as nuclear 1. Nuclear generation statistics worldwide by country, including number of reactors, capacity, gigawatthours generated and fuel share. The implications of south africas nuclear power programme. Public endorsements of this proposed programme have come from officials. 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 refuses to let go of its nuclear explosives. It has two nuclear reactors, and generates approximately ve percent of the countrys electricity.
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