Does South Africa Really Need Nuclear Energy, or Continued Emphasis on Renewable Energy?

The inquiry in state capture took another winding twist with former Eskom CEO Brian Dames, revealed that he faced a breakdown in communication between management and the board.

Perhaps one of the most significant revelations to come from Dames’ testimony to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee was his defiant stance that there is “absolutely no need” for nuclear power in South Africa, and that the country’s economy simply can’t afford it.

Dames was delivering his testimony at the Parliamentary hearings into state capture at the end of 2017, instigated following Public Protector and media reports pointing to widespread corruption in SOEs, specifically Eskom.

“There was a very clear, distinctive difference around the issues of integrity and probity. It led to a breakdown in relations between board and management,” Dames told the committee.

Do We Need Nuclear, or a Continued Emphasis on Renewable Energy?

Dames’ testimony continued, with him saying one of the fist cases of meddling came about when the board instructed Eskom’s audit and risk committee to cancel the tender process for the utility’s auditors. He also touched on the controversy around the tender for Koeberg’s six steam generators.

Questioned during his testimony about renewable energy, Dames said he fully supported the programme, both now and during his tenure at Eskom. This is especially true now that there have been great improvements in technology and cost over recent years. Nuclear remains untenable in South Africa, said Dames, as it is in countries like the US and Finland.

South Africa has embraced the notion of renewable energy, tapping into its rich renewable sources such as sunlight and wind. It is also using renewable energy more and more in areas such as water heating and cooling, transportation and rural energy services, among other areas. Experts agree that South Africa can’t afford nuclear, and that renewable energy is a stable and responsible way of addressing South Africa’s growing appetite for electricity amidst booming urbanisation levels.