S. Africa has opportunity for nuclear entrepreneurs

Even as Japanese engineers were fighting to cool reactors, officials from Russia and Belarus were signing a deal for a $9.4 billion nuclear plant in Belarus.

South Africa’s prospects

South Africa is “one of several significant prospects on the radar,” said Ian Hore-Lacy, spokesman for the London-based World Nuclear Association, which represents the industry.

American and French companies involved in building Koeberg may have an advantage when it comes to involvement in South Africa’s nuclear buildup because of their long-standing relationships, Mr. Hore-Lacy said in a telephone interview.

He added that Russian, Chinese and other companies cannot be discounted in the competition for nuclear business in South Africa.

Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation, known as Rosatom, has been among the most active in seeking South African business.

Rosatom held a seminar in Johannesburg in early April to introduce itself to the South African government and business officials. It sent a vice president back later in April for more talks.

Alexey Kalinin, head of Rosatom’s foreign operations, said his company would get as much as 60 percent of supplies for projects in South Africa from South African companies.

He said that could mean more than $15 billion in earnings for South African companies, $3.4 billion in tax revenue for the South African government, and 15,000 new jobs. He also said Rosatom is ready to draw South African companies into its global supply chain.

Mr. Kalinin said his company is looking ahead to helping Nigeria develop a nuclear industry and already is involved in uranium exploration and mining in Tanzania and Namibia.

South Africa “can be indeed regarded as a possible gateway to other African countries and a driver of nuclear energy development in the region,” Mr. Kalinin said.

Such expansion is just what Yves Marignac, a Paris-based energy expert and anti-nuclear campaigner, fears. He would rather see developing countries taking the lead in developing safe, clean renewable energy sources like wind and solar.

But South African officials assert that renewables alone cannot deliver enough energy.

Mr. Marignac, speaking in a telephone interview, also said he is concerned the nuclear energy industry may be pushing new markets to sign contracts before all the questions raised by the Japanese crisis are answered.

“South Africa is probably one of the next big chances for the nuclear companies trying to sell reactors in the world,” said Mr. Marignac.

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