Johannesburg - Initiatives have begun to prepare South Africa for its nuclear energy expansion, the minerals and energy department said on Wednesday.
"A range of feasibility studies covering all important
components of the nuclear fuel cycle are being undertaken by [the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa (Necsa)]," TB Maqubela told an energy indaba in Sandton.
He said recent debate in the energy sector ran the risk of
"degenerating into a blame game".
"There is nothing wrong in pointing [out] areas that need to be improved.
"What we begin to see are rigid positions on particular
sub-sectors of energy being the only ones that can solve the
challenges facing the country," he said.
The emphasis of South Africa's move into the nuclear field
remained on the attainment of security of fuel supply for future
national energy needs while also being economically viable and
competitive in the global market.
South Africa was demonstrating its commitment to nuclear energy
by developing relationships with international players in fuel
cycle services and preparing for the establishment of laboratories and facilities to create local skills and technology bases.
"The important step is to ensure that we have developed
competency not only to operate nuclear power stations, but to be
able to build our own innovations on the current technology and
grow our own skilled manpower to execute projects of such
magnitude," he said.
Maqubela said the government would introduce an integrated
energy plan, which would include nuclear energy, later this year.
He said the department conceded that there were areas which
needed improvement, saying that the management of the energy
sector, especially energy needed to be reviewed.
While indications were that South Africa had emerged from
recession, the approaching upturn would see energy challenges
re-emerge.
"High prices may once again be back to the fore. The difference
however is economies will be starting from a low base.
"We will not be immune to this."
Maqubela said the increasing access to energy services for the
poor remained a challenge.
He called on the energy sector to focus on "energy poverty" and
develop solutions to this challenge.
Business Unity SA chairperson Jerry Vilakazi told delegates that
South Africa's energy security lay not only in the hands of the
government.
Calling for international investment in the energy sector,
Vilakazi said the pessimism surrounding the continent needed to be combated.
"The greatest obstacle that can hinder the flow of investment is the pessimism that prevails in discourse globally," he said.
Businesses and society as a whole had to work together to ensure that Africa began to feature high on the agenda of international investor discourse.
- Sapa