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South Africa’s nuclear professional associations have issued a general call to reboot the local nuclear industry.
In a statement released to the media NECSA scientist Thomas Sibiya said the associations had gathered to demonstrate their support for the nuclear industry at Pretoria-Sunnyside Jubilee Park on Saturday. The demonstration was in support of nuclear technology and nuclear industries expansion.
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Six professional associations – Nuclear Industry Association of South Africa (NIASA); South African Young Nuclear Professionals Society (SAYNPS); Women in Nuclear of South Africa (WINSA); Southern African Radiation Protection Association (SARPA); The South African Vest Group; and Nehawu Nuclear Energy Workers – highlighted the following in the belief that nuclear energy could solve the country’s load shedding woes.
Sibiya said the demonstration was held in the hope of highlighting the idea that unlocking the stagnation of growth in nuclear industries over the past three decades could provide clean abundant energy, sustainable employment and subsequent invigoration of the economy.
Koeberg Nuclear Power Station has been safely operating for more than 30 years, providing reliable electricity to the Western Cape without any fatal incidents. Thus, the associations believe KNPW should be provided with a licence to operate beyond 2024 to 2044.
Nuclear power does not emit harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and sulphur oxides, making it a clean, reliable baseload form of electricity energy.
Therefore, the associations call on the country to construct in affordable phases and at a manageable pace, a 2,000MW light water reactor for nuclear power and pursue the construction of 500MW small modular reactors (SMRs). They believe these SMRs could replace the inland coal-fired power stations which will reach the end of their operational lifespans between 2025 and 2030.
They also want to see the construction of a multipurpose research reaction (AKA SAFARI-2) to continue the value chain supply of radiopharmaceutical isotopes for medical use.
The associations called for further development of the National Radioactive Waste Disposal Institute for longer-term storage of high-level radioactive waste. |
