In its 20 year Integrated Resource Plan, South Africa’s cabinet is calling for nuclear power to fuel a fifth of country’s new electricity production by 2030. The document is the process of being declared as a new law. The plan focuses on diversifying the energy mix, with specific emphasis on broadening electricity supply technologies to include gas, imports, nuclear, biomass and renewables to respond to the country’s future electricity needs as well its obligation to fulfill CO2 emissions reduction. The plan includes an additional 9.6 GW of nuclear; 6.3 GW of coal; 17.8 GW of renewables; and 8.9 GW of other generation sources. The 9.6GW of nuclear power is equivalent to six power stations (e.g. six 1600MW EPRs) depending on the choice of technology.
