South Africa considers uranium enrichment

[SAPA and Reuters, 20 February] Areva of France is reportedly prepared to take a stake in the development of South Africa's pebble-bed modular reactor (PBMR) in exchange for the contract to construct the country's second conventional nuclear power plant. Alec Erwin, South Africa's Minister of Public Enterprises, last week proposed a program under which 12 conventional and 24 PBMR reactors would be built. The second conventional plant could be constructed near the existing Koeberg plant, which was supplied by France. Meanwhile, South Africa is considering enriching its own uranium to fuel new nuclear plants, including PBMRs, according to Buyelwa Sonjica, Minister of Minerals and Energy. She said her department was finalizing an energy and technology strategy that would "outline a vision" for the country's nuclear future. She added, "The ultimate goal of South Africa is to realize localization of fabrication of nuclear components involved in all aspects of nuclear power generation and the nuclear fuel cycle." Sonjica also revealed that Russia is actively courting South Africa and other countries to support establishment of international nuclear fuel centres. She added that South Africa would also look at recycling and reprocessing used nuclear fuel.

Further information

Areva

WNA's Nuclear Power in South Africa information paper