South Africa wants to build a monster 2,500 MW nuclear power plant

South Africa’s Energy and Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa wants to secure funding for a 2,500-megawatt nuclear power plant – significantly bigger than Koeberg.

Bloomberg, citing the Sunday Times, reported that work has reached an advanced stage, and a team is working on a deal and finalising the procurement structure for the project.

Ramokgopa told the Sunday Times that the new nuclear power plant will increase the electricity supply and secure the country’s energy needs.

“The latest nuclear technology is very rapid to deploy, relatively cheaper and more efficient,” Ramokgopa said.

“We must resolve the issues of who will operate the plant, but I think I can say before we even conclude that it will be Eskom, as Eskom has the experience, having done that at Koeberg.”

The 2,500 MW nuclear power plant will be much bigger than the Koeberg plant, north of Cape Town, with a generation capacity of 1,940 MW.

Construction of Koeberg began in 1976, and Unit 1 was synchronised to the grid on 4 April 1984, with Unit 2 following suit on 25 July 1985.

It is situated at Duynefontein, 27 km north of Cape Town on the Atlantic coast. It ensures a reliable supply of electricity to the Western Cape.

It boasts the largest turbine generators in the Southern Hemisphere and is the most southerly-situated nuclear power station in the world.

Low and intermediate-level waste from Koeberg is transported by road in steel and concrete containers to a remote disposal site at Vaalputs in the Kalahari Desert.

Koeberg ranks amongst the safest pressurised water reactors (PWRs) and is the most reliable Eskom power station.

Koeberg is currently going through a life refurbishment programme to extend its lifespan to 2045.