Minister Dipuo Peters, referring to South Africa’s heavy reliance on coal power production, said the government was keen to push nuclear energy in order to lower the county’s greenhouse-gas emissions. Eskom generates roughly 90 percent of its power from coal.

Eskom, Africa’s largest power utility had stopped nuclear procurement processes with France’s Areva and Westinghouse in the United States late last year citing budgetary strain.

However, the minister indicated that government would become more actively involved in ensuring South Africa would bring new nuclear capacity on stream, but did not clarify whether old programmes would be brought back to life or whether new programmes would be developed.

Peters said: “Our work will include intensified engagement within the government system and outside in order to ensure that we take emphatic decisions with regard to Eskom’s nuclear build programme.”

The minister added that four principles would guide nuclear energy investment - The public’s right to know; security of nuclear fuel supply; waste management; and nuclear security and non-proliferation. South Africa was already a member of the international Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Despite funding constraints Eskom was still steaming ahead with a plan to double its generating capacity to 80 000 MW by 2026. Currently the utility has planned to spend R385-billion (€34-billion) over the next five years, but once the plan is complete projected spend could top to R1-trillion (€88-billion).

Eskom’s top priority currently was to build two new 4 000-MW-plus base-load coal-fired power stations. However, environmental impact assessments were still being conducted at three potential nuclear sites. They include Duynefontein, which is near South Africa’s only nuclear power plant, Bantamsklip in the Western Cape, and Thyspunt in the Eastern Cape.