South Africa's Eskom selects Thyspunt as preferred site for nuclear plant amid heritage risk

South Africa’s state-owned utility Eskom has identified Thyspunt on the Eastern Cape coast as the preferred site for a proposed 5,200MW nuclear power station, according to a draft environmental scoping report cited by GroundUp on April 13.

The report, prepared by WSP Group Africa, recommends that further environmental and technical studies be focused on Thyspunt, stating that the site offers advantages in grid access and existing infrastructure compared with the alternative Bantamsklip location.

Thyspunt, located between Oyster Bay and Cape St Francis, is already owned by Eskom and lies relatively close to existing transmission infrastructure and load centres. The report states that prior wind farm development in the area has expanded the transmission network, reducing the need for additional grid investment.

“From a spatial, technical, and infrastructure perspective, [Thyspunt offers] clear advantages,” the report states. It adds that specialist screening undertaken to date “has not identified any unmitigable environmental constraints” at the site.

By contrast, Bantamsklip — situated between Danger Point and Quoin Point in the Overberg — is described in the report as remote, with limited nearby load centres and transmission infrastructure. The report states that development at Bantamsklip would require extensive new grid connections and could have a more pronounced spatial and environmental impact.

The proposed nuclear plant capacity of 5,200MW reflects South Africa’s long-standing plans to expand nuclear generation under its Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), although previous large-scale procurement efforts were halted in the late 2010s following legal and policy challenges.

Under South Africa’s National Environmental Management Act, the project must undergo a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), with the current scoping phase serving as the initial step. The draft report is open for public comment until May 5, according to GroundUp.

However, the report highlights a significant regulatory risk linked to heritage protection. In January 2025, the South African Heritage Resources Agency provisionally declared the Thyspunt area a Grade I Cultural Landscape, granting it national heritage protection until at least February 2027.

According to the heritage impact assessment cited in the report, the implications of this designation remain unclear and require further engagement with SAHRA. The report notes that unresolved legal issues linked to the provisional protection could affect project timelines, approvals, or site development parameters depending on the outcome of the designation process.

“The weighting of the cultural landscape significance at Thyspunt relies heavily on the current legal status assigned under provisional protection,” the report states, adding that further consultation with SAHRA is required to clarify the nomination and its boundaries.

While Bantamsklip is not being prioritised in the current assessment phase, the report states it is not “fatally flawed” and could remain under consideration for future nuclear development.

If the scoping report is accepted by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Eskom will proceed to detailed EIA studies covering biodiversity, water resources, air quality, land use, human health and socio-economic impacts.

Africa is emerging as an important player in the global clean energy transition, driven by tighter international emissions rules and rising demand for low-carbon fuels. As IntelliNews partner NewsBase reported, the African Energy Chamber (AEC) sees nuclear power as a “green bridge” in the continent’s just energy transition (JET), which could unlock its path to net zero while supporting economic growth.

While nuclear energy presents a stable baseload power option to address energy shortage, its high cost of about $120 per MWh and regulatory uncertainties remain challenges. According to the State of African Energy 2026 Outlook, it is projected to stay high through 2050 compared with solar PV ($20 - 34/MWh) and onshore wind ($24 - 48/MWh), which are expected to decrease further. This makes nuclear less competitive in Africa, where energy affordability is critical.

Africa currently has only one operational NPP – the Koeberg power station in South Africa. However, several countries, including Egypt, Senegal, Niger, Ghana, Namibia, Rwanda and Kenya, are exploring nuclear energy, including SMR technology, to meet rising electricity demand.