An International Atomic Energy Agency team of experts yesterday completed a review of the long-term operational safety of South Africa's two-unit Koeberg nuclear power plant. The team assessed the plant's preparedness, organisation and programmes related to long-term operation against IAEA safety standards.

A newly completed definitive feasibility study for the Tiris uranium project in Mauritania has confirmed low capital operating costs for the development, Australian company Aura Energy Limited has announced.

The first samples of uranium oxide product have been produced from ore from Aura Energy's Tiris mine in Mauritania, West Africa. The yellowcake samples were produced during test work at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation's laboratories.
 

South Africa must consider nuclear as a clean energy source that can be part of its electricity generation mix, Energy Minister Jeff Radebe said yesterday in his keynote speech at a business awards ceremony.

Aura Uranium has signed a binding offtake agreement with London-based Curzon Uranium Trading Limited for up to 30% of production at its Tiris uranium project. The project, in Mauritania, north-west Africa, is expected to start up next year.

There is growing interest in nuclear power across several African countries. The USA could be more engaged to create more equitable and sustainable deployment of clean nuclear power on the African continent, write Jessica Lovering and Kenton de Kirby of the Breakthrough Institute.

The South African government has replaced the entire board of the South Africa Nuclear Energy Corporation following alleged failures in its statutory duties including legislative non-compliance, non-adherence to shareholder instructions, financial mismanagement and delays in returning the country's radioisotope manufacturing facility to full functionality.

South Africa's Integrated Resource Plan must explicitly recognise that nuclear will remain an important element of the country's energy mix, a parliamentary committee has told the country's Department of Energy.
 

Production can resume at NTP Radioisotopes' Pelindaba facilities after receiving the go-ahead from South Africa's National Nuclear Regulator.
 

As vanadium prices increase, uranium miners in the USA and elsewhere are looking to capitalise on the vanadium that is co-present with uranium in certain deposits to add value to their operations.

The Nuclear Industry Association of South Africa has said it will make the case for the inclusion of nuclear in the country's energy mix following the release earlier this week of an updated Integrated Resource Policy which sees no increase in nuclear capacity.
 

A draft updated Integrated Resource Plan approved by South Africa's cabinet on 22 August sees the country's nuclear capacity remaining at its current 1830 MWe over the period to 2030. Energy Minister Jeff Radebe yesterday released the plan for public comment.