Govt go-ahead for nuclear project
Zibonele Ntuli
11 June 2004
The Cabinet has approved a programme to develop human capital and improve research and innovation in relation to the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) project.
"This will ensure that South Africa maintains its competitive edge in, and broadens participation by, the country's youth and tertiary institutions in the development of this project," the Cabinet statement said.
PBMR technology has been under development in South Africa for the past 10 years, while it has been in operation for more than 20 years in Germany. It has also been implemented for lesser periods in other parts of the world, such as the US and the United Kingdom.
The aim of the South African PBMR is to provide a cheaper form of electricity for those who have limited or no access to electricity.
The PBMR project was started in 1993 when Eskom commissioned a technology scan to assess future energy sources for the country.
The PBMR is used for different scientific
processes, but also as power stations in some countries. In at least 16 countries, nuclear power contributes more than 25 percent of total electricity, with France and Lithuania producing more than 80 percent of their total electricity from nuclear power.
The government has already conducted environmental impact assessments on a demonstration module for a 110 megawatt PBMR electricity generating power station at Koeberg in the Western Cape.
The Cabinet has also approved setting up of a board of directors for the envisaged National Energy Research Institute, and further clarified the body's mandate.
The Cabinet was also briefed on national research and development spending, that has increased from 0.69 percent of GDP in 1997/1998 to 0.76 percent in 2001/2002.
The government's research and development strategy aims to double government's investment in science and technology by 2005, and to achieve a national research and development expenditure target of at
least one percent of GDP by 2005.
Source: BuaNews
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