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Nuclear power station.
The Electricity and Energy Minister, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, says that going into peak winter, the country should not have less available electricity than the winter of last year, and hence, there should be no loadshedding.
Ramokgopa was speaking on the sidelines of the second G20 Energy Transitions working group meeting in Cape Town. He says additional power stations, among others like Kusile and Koeberg Unit Two, would be brought on line this year.
This, he says, makes him confident that the country will at the very least perform at the same level as last year.
“When we went into winter last yea, we didn’t have Kusile unit No.: 6. It wasn’t there. We didn’t have Medupi 4, by end of May, which was out for four years. It’s another 800mW. So, there is no reason. When winter peaks, we’ll have additional 2500mW more than last year,” explains Ramokgopa.
Ramokgopa says expanding South Africa’s nuclear programme would make the country achieve energy security. He was the main speaker at one of the sessions at the second G20 Energy Transitions working group meeting in Cape Town. The aim of the three-day meeting is to bring together industry role players from across the world.
They are collaborating on advancing sustainable energy transitions, fostering essential co-operation and knowledge-sharing.
Ramokgopa also says including nuclear power in the energy mix would help to grow the country’s economy.
“The expansion of the nuclear programme gives SA energy security and sovereignty that enables country to move its economy into digital era and engaging new research frontiers and take its rightful place among leading nations,” he adds.
