A document outlining the case for introducing new nuclear electricity generation in South Africa will be released by the Department of Electricity and Energy (DEE) for public comment this month as government seeks to lay the groundwork for another procurement process, following the failure of three previous attempts since 2008.

Speaking at a nuclear and clean energy conference in Gauteng, Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa also confirmed he was planning to Gazette a Section 34 Ministerial determination between April and June, opening the way for the procurement of the 5.2 GW nuclear allocation included in the Integrated Resource Plan of 2025.

Besides the public consultations, Ramokgopa said the determination would be published only once the department had received concurrence from both the National Energy Regulator of South Africa and the National Treasury.

Deputy director-general for nuclear energy regulation Zizamele Mbambo confirmed that the DEE’s ‘Case for Nuclear’ document had already been finalised and would be released for a 60-day comment period.

A roadshow would also be undertaken in early 2027 to canvass further responses.

Ramokgopa indicated that the document and public consultations were designed to address criticism over a lack of consultation during previous moves by government to initiate the procurement of new nuclear.

In 2008, Eskom cancelled its Nuclear-1 procurement process for commercial reasons, while a later controversial move to procure 9.6 GW was permanently halted in 2017 after the Western Cape High Court ruled that the government's process was unlawful, largely owing to consultation deficiencies.

Then in 2024, Ramokgopa formally withdrew a Gazetted notice opening the way for a 2.5 GW procurement process, amid renewed legal threats in relation to a lack of public consultation.

The Minister said that the consultation process now being planned was part of an “ultra cautious” response to what he described as a “litigious environment” in relation to nuclear.

While indicating that alternative views would be considered, the Minister nevertheless outlined his strong support for nuclear, before insisting: “We are proceeding with the nuclear build programme.”

He also argued that 10 GW of nuclear would be required to stimulate localisation and industrialisation, with the initial projects set to rely largely on established designs provided by foreign vendors.

It was, thus, not immediately clear whether small modular reactor designs would be considered initially, but the Minister indicated that he saw a future role for the technology.

These included designs that produced both electricity and industrial-process heat, such as the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor, which was in the process of being transferred from Eskom to the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation, or Necsa.

It was confirmed that any new nuclear power station would be owned and operated by State-owned utility Eskom, and that the department would employ the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Milestones Approach for assessing Eskom’s readiness to proceed.

The Milestones Approach involved three progressive phases of development, assessing, first, whether a country was ready to make a knowledgeable commitment to a nuclear power programme, second, whether it was ready to invite bids, and third, whether it was ready to operate the first nuclear power plant.

“The department will work with Eskom to assess financing structures against their effects on the tariff, Eskom's balance sheet, and any exposure assumed by the State,” the Minister said, adding that the financing structure must support a build sequence that the country could sustain.