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Tina Joemat-Pettersson says South African govt will not fund nuclear build

Fiscus will not fund nuclear build programme, Tina Joemat-Pettersson says, BD Live BY LINDA ENSOR,  11 OCTOBER 2016 Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson assured MPs on Tuesday that the fiscus would not fund the nuclear build programme, saying it would be transparent, above board and free of corruption

The minister said the Department of Energy was to propose to the Cabinet that Eskom be the designated procurer for the new nuclear build programme and that the utility’s balance sheet be used to raise funds for the programme.

She said SA’s sovereignty would not be compromised and that the integrity of the programme would be protected against risk. Addressing Parliament’s energy portfolio committee, Joemat-Pettersson stressed that Eskom had the necessary expertise — having operated the existing nuclear plant Koeberg successfully for more than 30 years — to play a central role in the new nuclear build programme.

Eskom would be the owner and operator of the planned new nuclear plants.

In terms of the proposals to be submitted to the Cabinet, the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation would be the procurer for the fuel cycle and multipurpose reactor for the programme. The Cabinet will be asked to designate the department as the programme co-ordinator, Department of Energy officials told MPs.

All three entities would jointly develop a governance framework for the procurement and implementation of the programme.

The committee was told that Joemat-Pettersson would amend the determination under the Electricity Regulation Act to seek concurrence with the National Energy Regulator of SA……..

October 12, 2016 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | general