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Russia aggressively marketing nuclear power to South Africa

the draft Russian agreement, which Business Day has seen, had a veto clause, which would allow the parties to block the involvement of a third country

Russia turns up heat on ambitions for nuclear build in SA  BUSINES DAY LIVE, BY CAROL PATON, 29 NOVEMBER 2013 THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT IS PUMPING UP THE PROPAGANDA SURROUNDING THE COUNTRY’S NUCLEAR AMBITIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA WITH A SERIES OF REPORTS ON THE OFFICIAL INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTER VOICE OF RUSSIA THAT A DEAL HAS BEEN STRUCK TO BUILD SOUTH AFRICA’S PLANNED NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS.

Several countries are jockeying for position in South Africa’s nuclear build programme, which envisages the construction of three nuclear power plants to supply 9,600MW at the cost of at least R1-trillion. The government has said the procurement process is close to finalised and there is high expectation among bidders that it will go ahead next year.

This week, the temperature over the nuclear build was further heightened when state-owned Russian corporation Rosatom hosted a nuclear suppliers’ forum in Johannesburg “with the aim of establishing and developing lasting partnerships in South Africa”.

At the forum on Monday, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa (Necsa) and a Rosatom subsidiary. They agreed to “develop strategic co-operation in engineering, design, procurement and construction of complex capital projects”. They also agreed to jointly pursue “joint business opportunities” in South Africa and in other geographical markets.

While the memorandum on its own is not significant and does not imply that a commercial relationship will certainly follow, there are other indications that the relationship between Necsa and Rosatom is getting closer. It is believed that Necsa officials have been working with Rosatom in Russia for several weeks. Neither Necsa nor Rosatom responded to questions about this.

But despite the pedestrian nature of Monday’s agreement, the Voice of Russia made much of the occasion. Three days before the forum, the broadcaster reported on its website that formal agreements were to be signed at the forum, which would contract Rosatom to build eight nuclear electricity units, each with a generating capacity of 1.2GW.

When this did not take place, Voice of Russia said two days later that “Rosatom is prepared to build nuclear power plants in South Africa and set up research centres and train personnel”……….

the draft Russian agreement, which Business Day has seen, had a veto clause, which would allow the parties to block the involvement of a third country……..

Neither the Russian embassy in Pretoria nor the Voice of Russia responded to requests for comment. http://www.bdlive.co.za/business/energy/2013/11/29/russia-turns-up-heat-on-ambitions-for-nuclear-build-in-sa

November 30, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | marketing, Russia, South Africa