South Africa’s Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson said this week that the country would chose a strategic partner or partners by the end of the year who would help build a fleet of nuclear power plants.
Newswire service AFP reported that South Africa’s goal is to build eight nuclear power plants in a deal potentially valued at $50 billion. The first reactor would begin operations in 2023, according to current estimates. The country currently has one nuclear power plant, but also suffers from “regular electricity blackout that have hobbled economic growth,” the report said.
"We will commence with the actual nuclear procurement process in the second quarter of this financial year to select a strategic partner or partners in a competitive, fair, transparent and cost effective manner," Joemat-Pettersson said. "We expect to present the outcome of this procurement process to cabinet by year end."
The United States, Russia, China, South Korea and France are in the running as potential partners in the effort to add 9,600 megawatts of capacity to the country’s energy mix. That would be close to a third of the current 30,000 megawatt capacity currently serving South Africa.
South Africa has already signed international cooperation agreements that vary from country to country, but spell out “the foundation for cooperation, trade and exchange for nuclear technology as well as procurement,” the energy minister said.
South Africa’s government has pledged to keep the competition for a nuclear power partner open to the various bidders. The news service noted, however, that South Africa has 50 advanced-level nuclear power trainees in China and is expected to increase that number to 250. Russia has also extended an offer for five masters level scholarships in nuclear physics to South Afrikaners.