South African utility Eskom said Wednesday that 27 companies had sent notice that they would respond to a Request for Information regarding its initiative to build new nuclear power plants in the country.
The South African Sunday Times reported that EDF from France, Rusatom Overseas from Russia, KEPCO of South Korea and SNPTC (State Nuclear Power Technology Company – a partnership of various companies) of China were among those that responded to the call for letters of interest that went out in December 2016.
Eskom said their were no commitments at this point. “Eskom is looking forward to the information supplied to confirm our understanding of the key issues that impact the timing and affordability of a nuclear program,” said interim Chief Executive Matshela Koko in a statement.
The Request for Information was issued after Minister of Energy Tina Joemat-Petterson announced that Eskom had been chosen to increase generating capacity with nuclear power by 9600 MWe, while the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa was chosen to manage a fuel processing facility.
According to the World Nuclear Association, the time line for the project included a Jan. 31 deadline for submitting a response indicating a company was ready to provide Eskom with a detailed report complying with the RFI by April 28. The time line also envisions the first of a new set of reactors in South Africa being switched on by 2023.