OUR NUCLEAR FUTURE…

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In a 2016 SAEEC President’s newsletter I wrote an article on nuclear. The newsletter heading was: “Is Nuclear the Energy of the Future?”. From that newsletter, you would have realised that I am in favour of nuclear energy.

The media, as everyone else at the time, was against nuclear. The government was looking into building some nuclear power generation to support the electricity grid. The resistance against the idea was severe – rightly so, as SA was in the mists of serious corruption in various State-Owned Entities. The more serious matter was that all this also placed a focus on the underserved negative connotations of nuclear as an unsafe and expensive energy source. Everyone generally disliked nuclear. Unfortunately.

I stated, in the newsletter, that humans will in future have a safe and portable nuclear energy source the size of a large cellphone, to be used anywhere; for use in travelling, offices, homes, etc. I thought of this as sort of Micro Nuclear Reactors (MNR). I may not be around when it happens, but this is still my view.

I also mentioned that, although it is still early days, the world will eventually move to SMRs (Small Nuclear Reactors) as it will become increasingly more attractive and that the possibility even exists that the Pebble Bed Module Reactor (PBMR) programme might be revived. The PBMR can be defined as an SMR.

Well, interesting things are happening which relate very much to all of this.

The December 2024 COP28 decisions show that it is now realised that renewable energy will not be the solution for all the world’s energy needs. Beyond renewables, a declaration was endorsed by 22 governments, including the US, France, UAE and the UK to triple nuclear energy. Additionally, it invited shareholders of international financial institutions to encourage the inclusion of nuclear energy in lending policies.

Secondly, I read an article last week with the heading “Pebble bed nuclear reactor gets a reboot”. The first paragraph reads “The Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR), a South African technological triumph that was muscled out of the energy discussion in 2010 under former president Jacob Zuma’s presidency, is getting a reboot.”

It is states that “South Africa’s latest evolution of the PBMR is the High-Temperature Modular Reactor 100, or HTMR-100, which is capable of generating 100MW of heat or 35MW of electricity, whichever is required.

The article explains how some of those who were involved in the original PBMR programme continued developing the technology and processes. They are now ready to build and sell these units commercially. And, that it would be a sound investment when considering the life cycle, costs and benefits – it is a cheap, reliable, clean and safe energy source with no risks of a meltdown. More so than any of its competitors. For example, Koeberg produces power at about 40c/kWh or $0.02/kWh, making it the cheapest source of energy in SA. The price of power generated by the HTMR-100 depends on the plant configuration, but it will be substantially cheaper than Eskom tariffs. The business model will allow for ownership of the modules or long-term power offtake agreements.

They’ve now reached the point where they are looking to build and sell these units. Apparently, a Washinton DC-based company is raising the R9 billion needed to build the first reactor, either near Cape Town or Pretoria, with a construction lead time of five years.

There is a growing interest in SMRs because they hold the key to energy security. Many countries are increasingly viewing SMRs as an energy source that could be integrated into their future energy supply. SMRs are smaller than typical base-load nuclear reactors (or coal-fired power plant units) and deliver less than 300MW which could be placed close to the consumption points. Think about it; each municipality could have its own clean and safe “power station” within its boundaries.

The widespread deployment of SMRs would have a significant impact on the global nuclear industry and add an upside to global nuclear forecasts. The technology certainly has substantial benefits with many countries viewing SMRs as a potential future energy source.

What is impressive is the SA team who continued and never gave up and is now impacting and possibly leading the world. As one SA industry observer explained: “One of our nuclear experts went to a meeting with about 15 energy executives in Washington and the entire meeting was conducted in Afrikaans. That tells you what happened to Africa’s nuclear talent.”

Perhaps we need an IPP Programme as was done with the Renewable Programme…

Is this one step closer to real portable nuclear generators?

The article referred to can be found here…

Karel Steyn

Energy and Carbon Management Consultant

Karel is a seasoned Consultant, boasting an impressive array of professional qualifications, including AEE Certified Energy Manager, AEE Certified Measurement and Verification Professional, a Professional Engineering Technologist with ECSA and a SANAS Assessor. His leadership spans multiple sectors, serving as Chairs of the MVCA, SANAS Specialist Technical Committee and SABS TC 301 for Energy Management Systems. He is also a SANEDI panellist and South Africa’s representative in the Cleaner Energy Ministerial. A past President of the SAEEC and contributed towards establishing the National M&V function, authoring the National M&V Standard and producing numerous M&V guides and an eBook. His involvement extends to government, government agencies and Eskom, focusing on energy management, energy performance, efficiency strategies, and decarbonization efforts, aiming for Carbon Net Zero in industrial sectors. Steyn’s interests lie in technology, innovation, investments and energy management.

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