South Africa creates partnership for localisation

The Coega Development Corporation (CDC) has agreed to cooperate with utility Eskom in supporting the South African government's plans to build local capacity for its nuclear new build program through supplier development and localisation.

The two state-owned companies yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in project management and implementation services for infrastructure development, as well as skills development and localisation. The agreement also covers collaboration in providing the necessary skills training for the different stages of the nuclear program and in fitness for duty centre processes. They will also jointly conduct studies on the impact of the country's nuclear program on socio-economic development. Eskom and CDC will also collaborate on stakeholder engagement and communications.

Abram Masango, Eskom's executive for group capital, said: "We are gearing ourselves up in preparation for the nuclear new build program in order to deliver the project within the set timelines and budget. We want to ensure that South Africans get reliable, decarbonised baseload power that will bring sustainable economic growth."

He added, "In addition, it is critical to lay the foundation for local people to participate meaningfully during the various stages of the project by skilling them for jobs as well as business opportunities. We look forward to a productive working relationship under this memorandum with our counterparts, the CDC."

The Coega Development Corporation is a state-owned company mandated to develop and operate the 11,500 hectares industrial land of the Coega Industrial Development Zone. This zone was established in 1999 and is adjacent to the modern deep-water port of Ngqura on the east coast of South Africa, 20km northeast of Port Elizabeth. The CDC's shareholders are the Departmnet of Trade and Industry and the Eastern Cape Provincial Government.

CDC executive manager of business development Christopher Mashigo said, "The collaboration with Eskom is aligned with the mandate of the CDC, which is to drive the creation of an industrial complex to promote integration with industry and increase value-added production, while creating employment and the associated socio-economic benefits in the region in which it is located."

He added, "An integrated energy plan carries with it the potential to catalyse the (re-)industrialisation of the East Coast Corridor manufacturing economy - translating to a higher and inclusive growth path and job creation."

South Africa's Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for 2010-2030 calls for construction of 9600 MWe of new nuclear capacity - supplying 23% of the country's electricity - with the first reactor to come online by 2023. Eskom has been designated to procure the new nuclear generating capacity.

Eskom released its request for information (RFI) on 20 December for the country's nuclear new build program. Last month, the company said some 27 companies - including China's SNPTC, France's EDF, Russia's Rusatom Overseas and South Korea's Kepco - have stated that they intend to provide a response to the RFI by the 28 April deadline.

Last March, Eskom, operator of the country's existing nuclear capacity at Koeberg, submitted site applications for nuclear installations at Thyspunt, in the Eastern Cape, and Duynefontein, in the Western Cape, to the country's National Nuclear Regulator.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News