Positive news for 4,000MW nuclear power project in South Africa

Key topics:Minister upholds environmental approval for 4,000MW Western Cape nuclear plantEskom still needs multiple licences before construction can beginSA seeks experts for R60bn nuclear expansion, eyes global partnerships.Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up for the BizNews channel here..By Myles Illidge.South African environmental affairs minister Dion George has upheld a decision to grant Eskom environmental authorisation to build a new nuclear power plant in the Western Cape.The original authorisation for the plant, which will neighbour Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, came in 2017. However, environmentalists had appealed against the decision.Reuters reported that George dismissed the appeals, giving Eskom the green light to build and operate a 4,000MW nuclear power station in the region, at least from an environmental regulation perspective.However, his decision doesn’t automatically grant the state-owned power utility permission to begin constructing or operating the nuclear power station.“The granting of an environmental authorisation does not exempt an applicant from complying with any other applicable legal requirements or obtaining from other competent authorities,” said George.Eskom is still required to get several statutory authorisations before it can proceed with the construction and operation of the new nuclear power station, including:A nuclear installation licence from the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR);Approval from the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa);Water use licences from the Department of Water and Sanitation; and,Any other required approvals, such as those from the Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources.South Africa’s large-scale nuclear new-build plans date back to the Eskom board’s approval of a nuclear power plan in early 2007.The plan aimed to double South Africa’s generation capacity by 2025, including constructing 20GW of new nuclear capacity to reduce the country’s reliance on coal power and ensure energy security.The programme was set to start with up to 4,000MW of pressurised water reactor capacity, with the first units set to be commissioned in 2016.The Department of Environmental Affairs issued environmental authorisation for the 4,000MW Duynefontein nuclear power station on 13 October 2017.However, the decision faced backlash from environmentalist groups like Greenpeace Africa, who openly criticised the authorisation.They raised concerns over affordability, safety, and the timing of South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan.“Greenpeace is strongly opposed to authorising a 4,000MW nuclear power station at Duynefontein,” said Greenpeace Africa senior climate and energy campaigner, Melita Steele.“This decision flies in the face of rational decision-making and due process.”.Read more:.New nuclear and gas power unlikely in SA’s near future.The process was halted while the Department of Environmental Affairs — now the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment — considered the various appeals it received.South Africa seeking nuclear experts for R60-billion nuclear build plan.In early May 2025, electricity and energy minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa revealed that South Africa sought nuclear energy experts to assist it in building nuclear capacity affordably and at scale.He said the search forms part of his goal of restoring the country’s nuclear build programme, the credibility of which he said had been eroded due to procurement and administration challenges.Ramokgopa said the programme must have a capacity of at least 10GW to be deemed credible in the eyes of South Africa’s energy market.He explained that South Africa requires upwards of R12 billion to register the programme, adding that studies by the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa estimate the total cost to be R60 billion.The minister said that, if South Africa were to consult experts for the programme, the US, China, Russia, France, and South Korea would respond.“The successful bidder will be from one of those countries,” said Ramokgopa.He hinted at a potential partnership with China, highlighting that it will be seeking raw materials for nuclear fuel enrichment and that the country is “already our partner”.The minister also noted that China accounts for 27% of all nuclear reactors under construction worldwide and plans to bring 70GW of nuclear capacity into operation within two years.Ramokgopa explained that, while adding new nuclear capacity to South Africa’s energy grid is key, extending the longevity of its only nuclear capacity, the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, is critical..This article was first published by MyBroadband and is republished with permission

Positive news for 4,000MW nuclear power project in South Africa

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