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NUCLEAR South Africa setting itself for nuclear decision The go-ahead for South Africa’s important national nuclear energy build programme is unlikely to be a one step process; it is a decision not being taken lightly and one which has to overcome self-doubt. A s part of the process, the former minister of energy, Ben Martins, led a team comprising the department of trade and industry, national treasury and department of public enterprises, among other entities associated with nuclear build decision making, to visit several countries. This delegation went to look at these countries’ nuclear technology manufacturing, engineering and construction sectors, as well as to talk to them about project management. “The goal of this exercise was to understand what lessons may be learned and assess from multiple dimensions what the outcomes of a nuclear build programme might look like,” CEO of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) Phumzile Tshelane tells ESI Africa. The idea was to compile a perspective that would allow South Africa’s government to move a step closer towards making a decision on the nuclear build programme. In his view this does not represent the last step in the process. “We need to take those lessons and apply them to what is a different situation in South Africa, which has a particular DNA, or pedigree, related to application of nuclear technology. The country did not start its nuclear programme when it established a nuclear power station over 30 years ago, but decades previously. South Africa has been participating in nuclear fuel cycle since 1939 and we should integrate new information with that experience base.” Whatever other developments may happen in the power sector, there is little doubt that a nuclear build programme in South Africa will be a government decision. The government won’t just be focused on the power generation aspect, but on technology transfer. It is likely to insist on South African industry participation, with community supply development programmes to embed localisation. “The government is revamping its BEE policies. There is ESI AFRICA ISSUE 2 2014 CEO of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) Phumzile Tshelane. an act in parliament to ensure proper enterprise and skills development as large procurement initiatives such as the nuclear programme are implemented,” Tshelane says. South Africa’s government has ambitions for the country to participate more deeply in the front end conversion, enrichment and fuel fabrication process of the nuclear power sector. Since it would like localisation of some of the design engineering and project management, such aspects make the decision making process complex. “There are several decisions to be made over time to usher in the nuclear build. I believe it will grow on us as opposed to a single decision being taken.” Tshelane believes that the delay that has occurred in making a decision may turn out well for the programme and South Africa. “In such a complex process, the first thing to do is to find our own approach. The last five years has allowed us to understand what skills and resources are required. I can reliably say that if a decision was made in 2008, the country would have been inadequately prepared.” It would have led to a semi- turnkey type approach, and South Africa would probably have been locked into a programme it would not be proud of in terms of technology transfer. “Since then we have started to understand South Africa’s needs, and are putting measures in place to achieve essential goals.” At the same time there has been tangible progress. The site at Thyspunt The Angra nuclear power plant is Brazil’s only nuclear power station. 39