South Africa’s Environment Minister, Dion George, on Friday reaffirmed the environmental approval granted to state-owned utility Eskom for constructing and operating a new nuclear power station in the Western Cape province.
The decision upholds a previous authorization from 2017 for a 4,000-megawatt nuclear facility at Duynefontein, near the existing Koeberg nuclear power plant close to Cape Town. Koeberg remains the only commercial nuclear power station on the African continent, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Environmental groups had challenged the original approval, but the minister emphasized that the authorization does not exempt Eskom from adhering to all other legal and regulatory requirements, including securing permits from relevant authorities.
Nuclear energy is a key component of South Africa’s strategy to diversify its energy mix. The country aims to reduce its reliance on coal-fired power plants—which currently provide the majority of its electricity—in favor of cleaner and more sustainable sources, including nuclear and renewables.
