South Africa Nuclear Energy Expansion under Integrated Resource Plan

planned

South Africa's Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) aims to transition the country away from coal towards renewables, gas, and nuclear energy by 2039. The plan includes the addition of 5,200 megawatts of new nuclear generating capacity by 2039, with potential expansion to 10,000 megawatts depending on nuclear industrialisation outcomes. The Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) development is being revived after a 15-year hiatus, and there is an aggressive pursuit of Small Modular Reactor (SMR) possibilities, which offer scalable, factory-built nuclear solutions deployable faster and at lower upfront cost than traditional reactors. The plan emphasizes the need for tripling current nuclear skills capacity, attracting back nuclear scientists and engineers from the diaspora, and investing in nuclear education and research through a hub-and-spoke model coordinated by various government departments and universities. Industry collaboration with organizations such as the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is also highlighted as essential for success.