CHOICES FOR POWER
SA is heading for an almighty smash if it buys the Ferrari of energy production
Nuclear is sophisticated and effective but it is beyond the national budget and unsuitable for local conditions, writes Johan Muller
The nuclear programme in SA has been pushed back by a couple of years, even though the allocation to nuclear is bigger than was previously the case. A draft blueprint of the government’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) said it now aimed to increase nuclear power output by 1,359 megawatts (MW) by 2037, on top of a previous target of adding 9,600MW of nuclear power by 2030. These numbers are the reason the pro-nuclear activists are now making themselves heard. Given that nuclear as a concept can be quite overwhelming, it is a good idea to compare it with something more tangible: a Ferrari. Caveat — I have absolutely nothing against the Ferrari brand, and the points below are merely to convey context. The problem with energy planning is that often market players do not see the sum of all the parts. Engineers love a technology type and will often neglect the financial considerations. Financiers take into account capital expenditure and operational expenditure, and listen to the lender te...
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