By: Irma Venter
Published: 6 Jul 07 – 0:00
Power utility Eskom’s nuclear ambitions may cost in the region of $45-billion or, at R7 to the dollar, R315-billion.
North West University Postgraduate School of Nuclear Science and Engineering director Professor Gideon Greyvenstein says Eskom is planning to increase its current generation capacity of 42 GW by 4% a year to 82 GW by 2015.
With 25% of the total generation capacity set to be supplied by nuclear power stations, this means 18 GW of new nuclear capacity will have to be built over the next 18 years at an estimated cost of $45-billion, or R17,5-billion a GW.
Current nuclear capacity is 1,8 GW.
Greyvenstein says, “Studies have shown that the cost of nuclear power compares favourably with that of other technologies.” He adds that nuclear becomes even more attractive if operating costs and costs to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel facilities are taken into account.
Medupi, Eskom’s proposed new coal-fired power station, will cost R70-billion for 4 500 MW, or R15,5-billion for every GW placed onto the grid.
Greyvenstein notes that the decision to establish a nuclear industry should not be taken lightly, as it involves a commitment for at least a hundred years to maintain the infrastructure, decommission the plants, and to ensure effective nuclear waste disposal.
He adds that creating the infra- structure to support the expansion of South Africa’s nuclear power generation capacity will be a “huge” undertaking.
“A comprehensive nuclear energy policy is needed to underpin and coordinate this effort.”
He adds that the introduction of nuclear power into a country has the advantage of improving the levels of technologies and related industries in that country.
“An approach to maximise local participation holds great economic advantages for South Africa.”
Eskom CE Jacob Maroga says the utility’s board has, to date, approved new investment in generation capacity worth R203-billion, excluding nuclear projects.
* Greyvenstein is also the CEO of engineering firm M-Tech Industrial, a subcontractor to the pebble-bed modular reactor project.
Source: www.engineeringsnews.co.za
