The withdrawal of funding from the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) is a setback for South Africa’s move to a low-carbon economy. This initiative was designed to mobilize public and private investment to help developing nations transition from fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources and accelerate the decarbonization of key sectors.
However, the funding cut threatens to delay critical programs already hampered by slow financial inflows and resistance from the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy to a full shift toward renewables. Given these challenges, South Africa must consider a more balanced energy strategy-one that includes nuclear power.
Uninterrupted power generation
“Nuclear energy provides a stable base-load supply, ensuring uninterrupted power generation. In contrast, renewables like solar and wind experience output gaps when the sun sets or the wind stops blowing, requiring costly backup solutions,” explains Dr. Andrew Dickson, Engineering Executive at CBi-electric: low voltage.
He adds, “Additionally, a typical nuclear reactor generates 1 GW of electricity using just 3.4 km² of land, whereas solar requires 116 km² to 200 km² and wind between 670 km² and 930 km² for the same output.”
Other forms of electricity generation
Dickson says nuclear energy is competitive with other forms of electricity generation
Dickson adds that, unlike renewables, which are constrained by grid capacity in regions like the Northern, Western, and Eastern Cape, where renewable resources are abundant, nuclear plants can be built in areas with better capacity.
From a financial perspective, Dr. Dickson says nuclear energy is competitive with other forms of electricity generation.
Dr. Andrew Dickson states, “Nuclear power’s total system costs are lower than those of wind and solar, which require heavy investment in storage and backup systems to manage fluctuations. Given the reduced funding available, South Africa would benefit from prioritizing this energy source.”
Emissions from large-scale battery storage
Nuclear power also aligns with South Africa’s climate commitments. “Nuclear plants emit no greenhouse gases during operation and, over their lifecycle, produce carbon emissions comparable to wind and lower than solar,” notes Dr. Andrew Dickson.
He adds, “This excludes emissions from large-scale battery storage necessary for intermittent renewables, including those from material sourcing, production, and recycling.”
Zero-emission sources
In France, for example, 92% of electricity comes from zero-emission sources, with nuclear accounting for 65%
Globally, nuclear energy has proven its effectiveness. In France, for example, 92% of electricity comes from zero-emission sources, with nuclear accounting for 65% and wind and solar just 14%. This has made France one of the European Union’s largest producers of clean power, with plans to phase out coal by 2027.
Despite all this, Dr. Dickson points out that South Africa generates only 1.9 GW from nuclear compared to 3.4 GW from wind and 2.3 GW from solar.
“Concerns around nuclear safety are often linked to two major historic accidents - Chernobyl in Ukraine in 1986, and Fukushima in Japan in 2011 - but the reality is that coal-fired power plants are far deadlier. A report by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air found that Eskom’s coal plants are responsible for around 2,200 deaths annually due to air pollution. In contrast, nuclear is among the safest energy sources, even more so than wind.” states Dr. Andrew Dickson.
Renewable Independent Power Producer Program
Dickson highlights that while nuclear plants take longer to construct - about eight years on average versus two to 24 months for wind farms and eight to 12 months for solar - delays in South Africa’s Renewable Independent Power Producer Program mean that these projects aren’t being built much faster.
Dr. Andrew Dickson states, “Additionally, nuclear plants generate gigawatts of electricity, whereas renewable projects often produce only a few hundred megawatts at a time.”
Integrating nuclear with renewables
“With renewable projects facing funding setbacks and delays, nuclear power provides South Africa’s with a path to a stable, low carbon future,” concludes Dr. Dickson, adding “A diversified approach, integrating nuclear with renewables, will help secure the country’s energy needs while meeting climate goals.”