CAPE TOWN: South Africa expects to lift the care and maintenance status of its Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) by the first quarter of next year or even earlier, the electricity and energy minister said on Wednesday.
Once considered a global leader in the development of small modular nuclear reactors, South Africa halted its PBMR research in 2010 after spending more than 10 billion rand ($577 million) and before building a planned demonstration model.
“We are far advanced in (our) internal processes to make the case to lift the care and maintenance on the PBMR,” Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, the electricity and energy minister told a media briefing.
State-owned power utility Eskom currently operates the continent’s only commercial nuclear power station near Cape Town. Egypt is building its own plant, while countries including Namibia, Niger and Ghana are exploring nuclear options.
“We are seeing huge opportunities around the world, with major players on data centers the biggest investors on SMRs (small modular reactors),” he added.
South Africa’s 2025 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), expected to be published this week, outlines more than 105 gigawatts of new generation capacity by 2039. Renewable energy is projected to account for more than half of this, as the country seeks to reduce its dependence on coal.
New nuclear generation capacity of 5.2 gigawatts is foreseen, with gas at 16 gigawatts, wind at 34 gigawatts and solar PV at 25 gigawatts by 2039.
South Africa has ambitions to re-invigorate its nuclear industry, with the IRP suggesting that this industrialization plan will determine the merits of 10 gigawatts of new nuclear generation capacity.
Ramokgopa said China, South Korea, the US and Russia are among countries that could partner with the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation on developing small modular reactors.
“We don’t think we will run out of suitors who can partner with us on the PBMR.”
South Africa aims to revive its small nuclear reactor technology
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South Africa aims to revive its small nuclear reactor technology
- Eskom currently operates the continent’s only commercial nuclear power station near Cape Town
- Egypt is building its own plant, while countries including Namibia, Niger and Ghana are exploring nuclear options
Sri Lanka doubles troops for flood disaster recovery
- Sri Lanka is expecting further heavy monsoon rains, topping 75 millimeters in many places, including the worst-affected central region, the Disaster Management Center said
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has doubled its military deployment to regions struck by a cyclone that has killed 635, sending tens of thousands of troops to help areas hit by a wave of destruction, the army said Monday.
More than 2 million people — nearly 10 percent of the population — have been affected by the disaster caused by Cyclone Ditwah, the worst on the island this century.
Sri Lanka is expecting further heavy monsoon rains, topping 75 millimeters in many places, including the worst-affected central region, the Disaster Management Center said. It has also issued warnings of further landslides.
“Given that mountain slopes are already saturated with rain water since last week, even slight showers could make them unstable again,” an official said, urging those evacuated from high-risk areas not to return.
The center has confirmed 635 deaths, with another 192 people unaccounted for since Nov. 27, when intense rains brought on by Cyclone Ditwah triggered landslides and floods.
The disaster management agency warned residents to “take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.”
Army chief Lasantha Rodrigo said 38,500 security personnel had been sent to boost recovery and clean-up operations in flood-affected and landslide-hit areas, nearly doubling the inital deployment.
“Since the disaster, security forces have been able to rescue 31,116 people who were in distress,” Rodrigo said in a pre-recorded statement.
Army spokesman Waruna Gamage said additional troops were deployed as the rescue efforts turned into a recovery operation.
