Question NW1687 to the Minister of Electricity and Energy
08 November 2024 - NW1687
Paulsen, Mr N M to ask the Minister of Electricity and Energy
What are the details of how far the Republic is from (a) building its own Small Modular Reactor and (b) having a modular reactor that can be used to generate electricity?NW2079E
Reply:
(a) The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy plans to include Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) as part of its broader nuclear energy strategy. In 2020 the Department went out to test the market to look for information for both conventional Pressurized Water Reactors and Small Modular Reactors. The Department has further developed a draft Strategy and Position Paper based on the outcomes of the Request for Information (RFI) to implement the 2500 MW nuclear new building programme taking into consideration various options for SMR development. These are still internal documents for consultation with impacted stakeholders prior to their wide publication. The outcome for the consultations will inform the plan of the Republic for building its own Small Modular Reactor.
(b) The intention is to have the SMRs form part of the country's energy mix, which currently includes a significant proportion of coal fired power plants, mainly in Mpumalanga.