South Africa’s Environment Minister, Dion George, has approved for the construction of a new Nuclear Power Station in Western Cape Province.
The facility will be developed by State owned Power Utility, Eskom, at Duynefontein near the existing Koeberg Nuclear Plant, which is currently the only operational commercial Nuclear Plant in Africa.
This decision maintains an earlier Environmental Authorisation issued in 2017, despite appeals from environmental groups opposing the project.
In a statement issued on Friday in Cape Town, George noted that the Environmental Authorisation allows Eskom to proceed but does not replace other regulatory requirements.
“The granting of an Environmental Authorisation does not exempt an applicant from complying with any other applicable legal requirements or obtaining permits from other competent authorities,” he said.
The planned facility is expected to generate up to 4,000 megawatts of electricity once completed. It will be located adjacent to Koeberg, which has supplied power to South Africa’s grid since 1984.
Eskom has not announced a construction start date, but the project is part of a broader national strategy to address power shortages and reduce reliance on ageing coal fired plants.
Nuclear role in South Africa’s energy sector
Nuclear Power currently accounts for a small share of South Africa’s energy production. The bulk of electricity is generated from coal fired plants, which have been criticised for their environmental impact.
George explained that diversifying the country’s energy sources is a priority.
“South Africa regards Nuclear Power as a critical part of its base load energy mix as it transitions to more Renewable Energy sources,” he stated.
The Koeberg plant, operated by Eskom, has two reactors with a combined capacity of about 1,860 megawatts.
The new facility at Duynefontein would more than double the country’s Nuclear capacity.
Environmental groups opposing the project have raised concerns about Nuclear Waste disposal, safety risks, and potential impacts on nearby communities.
The Minister, however, said these issues were considered during the Environmental Impact Assessment process, which led to the original 2017 approval.
Beyond this, the government argues that Nuclear Energy offers a stable, low carbon option to support growing demand and reduce rolling blackouts caused by ageing coal infrastructure and capacity shortages.
If completed, the Duynefontein plant will become the largest Nuclear Power facility in Africa and a central part of South Africa’s future energy plans.
