SA to review nuclear plans in light of recession – Minister

The SA Government would review its nuclear plans as part of its response to the recession, Energy Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said in Moscow, Russia, last week. According to a BusinessLIVE report, Kubayi, in Moscow for the AtomExpo nuclear conference and leading a delegation from SA, also said that she viewed nuclear energy as part of a diverse energy mix, including renewable resources and coal. However, it was too early to say when a procurement process could restart for SA’s nuclear project, she said. Eskom’s nuclear build programme was sent back to square one by an order of the Western Cape High Court in April, which set aside the two determinations issued by former Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson that laid the basis for the nuclear procurement. SA’s economy was confirmed to be in a technical recession earlier this month, when data showed the economy shrank 0.7% in the first quarter, after a 0.3% contraction in the final quarter of 2016, the report states.