The Akademik Lemonosov, the only floating small modular nuclear power reactor is visible in the distance where it is moored in front of the town of Pevek on Russia’s eastern arctic coast. It has a generating capacity of 70MW and has been supplying power to Pevek and surrounding areas since 2020. (Photo: Antoinette Slabbert)
The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) has just invited manufacturers of small, modular nuclear power reactors (SMRe) worldwide to develop such reactors with it here.
Necsa hopes to eventually establish an entire industry here that develops and builds these types of reactors for the rest of the continent. The organization also wants, as it did a long time ago, to get involved again in the supply of nuclear fuel, and manufacture components for the reactors.
Nuclear power is generally considered a clean technology for power generation and because nuclear power plants are very stable in their power production, it is the ideal technology to replace coal-fired power stations.
However, setting up conventional nuclear power stations, of which Koeberg is one, is extremely expensive and takes years. These projects are notorious for regularly exceeding budgets and deadlines.
Although SMRs are not yet widely commercially available, various designs are being worked on worldwide with the expectation that several of these reactors will come into operation after 2030.
According to the World Nuclear Power Association, which follows the progress of these projects worldwide, there are in fact only two still in operation – one in Russia and one in China. Five are currently under construction (two in Russia and one each in China, the US and Argentina).
Their generating capacity is mostly no more than 300 MW per unit and the idea is that one or more such units can be set up at a lower cost than conventional nuclear power at remote towns or plants and even at data centers without necessarily being connected to the national transmission network.
Necsa, a state-owned enterprise that owns the Safari 1 research reactor and a leading manufacturer of medical isotopes in the world, said in a media release that it is looking for “suitable and experienced organisations, consortia and technology providers to collaborate on the development, adaptation, demonstration and deployment of a multi-use SMR in South Africa”.
Loyiso Tyabashe, executive group head of Necsa, says Necsa seeks to gather detailed information on available SMR technologies, their maturity, licensing experience and readiness for deployment.
“Our goal is to demonstrate an SMR technology that will produce electricity, process heat and isotopes. This offers Necsa the opportunity to evaluate existing capabilities and financing models, so that it achieves its strategic goals of positioning South Africa at the forefront of advanced nuclear technologies,” he said.
“We aim to participate in the global SMR supply chain and contribute significantly to the local nuclear industrialization plan by developing local capabilities for nuclear building programs.”
David Nicholls, chairman of the Necsa board, says this invitation serves as the first phase of a structured selection process. “It pre-qualifies respondents based on their alignment with South Africa’s core policy and experience base, technological readiness for timely deployment, financial strength for long-term delivery, commitment to the transfer of intellectual property and the localization of skills and technology, as well as the diversity of applications to maximize socio-economic and industrial benefits.”
According to Tyabashe, the next step is the issuance of a Request for Proposals (RFP). Further developments in this process will be subject to South Africa’s regulatory framework, including public participation processes, environmental impact studies and regulatory approvals.
The invitation comes shortly after it was announced that the public participation process begins to determine the suitability of Thyspunt near Oyster Bay in the Eastern Cape and Bantamsklip near Pearly Beach in the Southern Cape to host a conventional nuclear power station of up to 5,200 MW.
The government is expected to eventually choose one of these two sites, or Duynefontein next to the current Koeberg nuclear power station outside Cape Town, for the construction work.
Both of these projects form part of the country’s comprehensive power plan (IRP 2025) which was announced last year.
Prof. Jo-Ansie van Wyk, nuclear power expert from Unisa’s Department of International Politics, points out that the government has taken the same steps several times since 1994 to get off the ground with a nuclear power program, but then it didn’t produce anything further.
However, she believes that South Africa has a solid base to build on with experience in nuclear power at Necsa and Koeberg. The specific technology ultimately chosen will determine how appropriate the local knowledge is.
If South Africa can position itself as a key player on the continent in relation to the advanced SMR technology, the country will be at the forefront of nuclear technology development, which can attract a lot of investment, she says.
Other countries that are also developing SMRs and may be interested are Britain, South Korea, France and Japan, she says.
There is also a lot of political support for these developments from the minister of energy and electricity, dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, who makes no secret of his enthusiasm for nuclear power.
Regarding the possibility of a conventional nuclear power station at Thyspunt, Bantamsklip or Duynefontein, Van Wyk says politicians always emphasize the economic benefits that such a large project can bring, while local communities, such as fishermen and farmers, are concerned that it could negatively affect their operations.
She emphasizes that it is important to get the support of the country’s people before the government undertakes something like this. Van Wyk also warns that mega-projects are often accompanied by high levels of corruption.
“That’s why transparency is very important.”
