AfrElec: South Africa delays nuclear procurement process to allow for further public consultation

South Africa will postpone the procurement process for a new nuclear power station to allow for further public consultation, according to its Electricity and Energy Minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa.

At a press briefing in Pretoria on August 16, Ramokgopa said the ministerial determination for the procurement of 2,500 MWe of new nuclear capacity was withdrawn following legal challenges.

The minister announced the delay in the nuclear procurement process, acknowledging that there should have been more public involvement up to this point, Reuters reported. Ramokgopa stated that he decided to retract a document published in the government gazette that would have enabled the procurement to move forward.

According to the minister, officials will now revise a report to address the conditions set by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) for supporting the procurement and will seek further public input.

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