Government has temporarily paused its plans to procure 2.5 GW of nuclear generation capacity following legal challenges and concerns about insufficient public consultation.

The procurement plan, initially published in 2023, outlined government's intention to secure clean, cost-effective baseload energy through nuclear power. However, the Democratic Alliance and two NGOs (the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute and Earthlife Africa Johannesburg) halted the process.

On Friday, August 16, Minister of Energy and Electricity Kgosientsho Ramokgopa announced deferral of the nuclear procurement process, citing the need for more thorough public engagement.

While public discourse on the issue is important, uninformed complaints should not undermine progress, Gerhard Odendaal, a civil engineer and project manager, told Energize. He stressed the need for informed public commentary on the matter, urging those with relevant knowledge to participate in the discussion.

“The more sound, expert opinions we can gather, the better the outcome for our energy future.

“While solar and wind energy are valuable, they come with significant environmental costs. Manufacturing of solar panels and the necessary battery storage is resource-intensive and both require vast amounts of land to generate power at scale.

“In contrast, nuclear energy, although initially costly to construct, is the most affordable source of power in South Africa over the long term. The carbon footprint is largely confined to the construction phase, like any large-scale development, and a nuclear plant can operate efficiently for 30 to 50 years.”

Odendaal highlighted Koeberg as a prime example of nuclear power’s success, calling it “the best-run and most successful power station in the world”.

In a statement, the Ministry of Energy and Electricity said it would consult extensively with industry experts in preparing its next submission to the energy regulator. “Nuclear energy is, and will continue to be, a vital part of South Africa’s energy strategy, providing a low-carbon, reliable source of electricity that supports energy security and climate objectives.”