South African ministers reveal differences over nuclear energy

South Africa’s finance and energy ministers have revealed their differences over the development of nuclear power plans after Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba said the country cannot afford any new nuclear power project because of the weak economy.

Energy Minister David Mahlobo has contradicted Gigaba regarding nuclear power development after Gigaba delivered his first Medium Term Budget Policy Statement in the National Assembly on Wednesday when he said that South Africa will not build any new nuclear power stations in the near future because of the weak economy and a surplus in the supply of electricity.

On Thursday, Mahlobo said South Africa remained committed to expanding its nuclear energy programme, specifically the expansion of the Koeberg nuclear power plant in Western Cape Province.

Gigaba had stated that the country could not afford the proposed expansion. “The country at the present moment can’t afford nuclear, and the budget can’t; we have an electricity (supply) surplus because of the low perfomance of the economy and absence of uptakers for electricity.

“When the economy is performing well and we have assessed that we can afford, we will take the decision at that time.”