South Africa is moving forward with a new nuclear power plant and restarting its long-dormant modular reactor program, Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramakgopa said — a major step in the country’s long-term push to stabilize its power supply.
Why it matters
South Africa has struggled for over a decade with rolling blackouts driven by aging coal plants and underinvestment in generation. Nuclear is increasingly seen by the government as a stabilizing, low-emission anchor for its energy mix.
Driving the news
- A new 4GW nuclear plant will be built at Duynefontein, near Cape Town.
- The government has approved a 20-year life extension for the Koeberg nuclear station, keeping it running until 2045.
- South Africa will reopen key nuclear infrastructure, including:
- A fuel development lab
- A helium test facility
- New nuclear waste management sites
- The government plans to bring in international investors and technology partners to fund and design the projects.
Context
A revised Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) approved in October outlines R2.23 trillion ($131B) in energy investments through 2042, with nuclear gaining a larger share as South Africa tries to reduce coal dependence.
Between the lines
The announcement also revives the pebble-bed modular reactor (PBMR) concept — a smaller, modular nuclear technology Eskom first proposed in 1999.
- PBMR was once pitched as a globally licensable technology that could generate billions of rand in revenue.
- But after spending nearly $1B, the program was shelved in 2010 due to cost overruns and shifting political priorities.
The big picture
South Africa is betting that nuclear — both traditional and modular — can deliver long-term energy security where coal and renewables have struggled to keep pace with demand.
The challenge: securing financing, public buy-in, and navigating the global nuclear regulatory landscape.
Source: Bloomberg
