How many nuclear power stations are in south Africa
A nuclear power plant
A nuclear power plant, sometimes referred to as an NPP, is a thermal power plant where a nuclear reactor serves as the heat source. Heat is utilized, as is common of thermal power plants, to create steam, which powers a steam turbine attached to a generator that generates electricity. The International Atomic Energy Agency claimed that as of 2022, there were 439 nuclear power reactors operating in 32 different nations worldwide.
Nuclear energy in South Africa
Presently, coal dominates the energy sector in South Africa. In 2016, the nation produced 253 terawatt hours (TWh), of which 227TWh were coal-based. Nuclear power, which is produced by a single nuclear reactor, Koeburg Nuclear Power Station, came in second with 15TWh.
Currently, nuclear energy provides less than 5% of South Africa’s energy requirements, but in recent years, the country’s ambitions for nuclear energy have undergone intense discussion and frequent change.
Nuclear plants in South Africa
Koeburg Nuclear Power Station is a nuclear power station in South Africa.
On South Africa’s west coast, Koeburg is situated around 20 miles from Cape Town. With a combined capacity of 1.94GW, the plant’s two pressurized water reactors (PWR) each have a 970MW rating. It is both the only nuclear power station in Africa and the nuclear power plant located the furthest south in the globe.
The most dependable Eskom power plant is Koeberg, one of the safest power plants of its day in the world. The National Occupational Safety Association has granted Koeberg the NOSCAR status more than 14 times (NOSA).
The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) has approved a permit for a new nuclear development, despite Malusi Gigaba, a former minister of finance, saying that South Africa cannot afford a new nuclear power station. The only other operational nuclear power station in South Africa, Koeberg, in the Western Cape, will be situated close to this 400 MW unit. Greenpeace Africa and other civic organizations around the nation, as well as the local community and powerful individuals, will all vigorously oppose the new factory. The nation cannot afford to build a new nuclear power plant, according to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Benefits and risks
Like with any contentious topic, there are always two sides: those who support it and those who oppose it. Nuclear energy advocates will claim that it is a comparatively clean source of energy with low emissions when compared to fossil sources. In addition to being a dependable source of electricity, nuclear power plants take up less land than conventional coal-powered stations. Those who are against nuclear power would argue that South Africa cannot afford to invest in the pricey building of a new facility. Additionally, they are likely to assert that, as seen by the incidents at Chernobyl and Fukushima, the hazards connected with nuclear energy are much higher should something go wrong.
Conclusion
Around 5% of South Africa’s electricity comes from nuclear power plants, which have a significant impact on the country’s electricity supply. Since nuclear energy is a carbon-free source of energy, it has no impact on global warming. With plants often working at high capacity factors, it’s also a very dependable source of energy.
