The Nuclear Industry Association of South Africa (Niasa) has “warmly” welcomed Energy and Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa‘s “significant” announcement that the country is close to launching a programme to build 2 500 MW of new nuclear power capacity in the country. New nuclear was part of the energy mix contained in the country’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2023. “Niasa has consistently advocated for an energy mix which is in line with the developmental needs of the country,” highlighted Niasa deputy president Gaopalelwe Santswere. “[T]he world has embraced nuclear as an important source to achieve net zero [carbon] emissions by 2050. Nuclear is acknowledged as a necessary complementary energy source to renewables as it provides the necessary reliability and grid stability.”
