Why the hurry with nuclear power?
The economic benefits of a nuclear fleet are no better than a flexible build plan, even in a future where we assumed nuclear is cheap
Energy Minister David Mahlobo reportedly wants to finalise quickly the latest iteration of our electricity plan in support of new nuclear power. The minister claims that "there’s no discussion about the need, the need is there" for nuclear power. Yet research that we have undertaken at the Energy Research Centre supports neither a need for, nor benefits of, forcing a large nuclear fleet into our electricity system. Modelling of all available electricity generation options continues to show that nuclear power is not the least-cost solution. Nor does the country have the ability to finance the investments required for a 9.6GW fleet of large reactors. SA currently faces an excess of capacity and will not need this power in the short to medium term. The latest modelling shows nuclear only coming into the mix around 2040. This is a finding consistent with earlier work the centre undertook for the National Planning Commission in 2013. Current research together with economic modellers also...
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