South Africa, which operates Koeberg, Africa’s only nuclear power plant, is planning to add a new capacity of 2,500 megawatts to tackle electricity shutdowns that plague the economy and reduce emissions.
“We cannot make a contract that Iran or Russia should not bid, and there is no such condition,” said Gwede Mantashe, mineral and petroleum resources, one of the key supporters of the government expanding its nuclear capabilities. Ta. Reuters.
“If it’s best in terms of table offers, I’ll take all (country),” he told Reuters.
The country is under scrutiny from Washington after President Donald Trump issued a wide-ranging auxiliary assistants this month. Among other criticisms, the order argued that without providing evidence, South Africa is “reinvigorating relations with Iran and developing commercial, military and nuclear arrangements.”
Pretoria does not have bilateral cooperation with Iran on nuclear or nuclear-related technologies, said South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa.
A State Department spokesman did not comment on Iran or Russia’s potential to help South Africa expand its private nuclear capabilities.
South Africa’s bid for the nuclear project, scheduled last year, was delayed for further consultation following a legal challenge led by the then opposition Democratic Alliance Party, now part of the Union government.
MNA