The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) supports the country adopting small modular reactors (SMRs) and believes that it can play a key role in this process. So affirms Necsa group executive: power and industry Sengiphile Simelane, in an exclusive interview with Engineering News.

Necsa is mandated to conduct research in the sphere of nuclear energy. Based at Pelindaba, west of Pretoria, Necsa owns and operates the SAFARI-1 research reactor, which is used for both research and the production of radioisotopes (for industrial but especially medical use).

“Necsa believes that the first South African SMR should be built at Pelindaba,” he says. “The first example should be for energy production. If it’s built at Pelindaba, this will allow Necsa to gain expertise in SMRs and help the subsequent roll-out of further SMRs, which could be used to replace the country’s ageing coal-fired power stations.”

Moreover, Necsa is interested in the use of SMRs for non-energy purposes. These could include the production of process heat, for industrial purposes, and desalination. Notably, process heat from SMRs could be used for the production of clean hydrogen.

“This is a really interesting application, really promising,” he opines. “It would be better to use SMRs to produce hydrogen, and not use renewables.”

The corporation is making certain that, when the government makes its decisions on the future of the country’s nuclear sector, it will be ready.

“We are waiting for the new Integrated Resource Plan,” he notes. “We are hoping that it’ll have a big nuclear power component, including both SMRs and large conventional nuclear power plants (NPPs).”

With the government planning a new nuclear build programme, this raises the issue of fuel for the new NPPs. Necsa, which has past experience in producing nuclear fuel, is positioning itself to be able to provide fuel for the future NPP fleet.  

In the meantime, Necsa has been supporting national electricity utility Eskom, which owns and operates the country’s only NPP, at Koeberg, near Cape Town, with professional nuclear services.

Thus, Necsa has provided assistance for the Koeberg long-term operation programme, which will extend the NPP’s operating life by 20 years. (The life extension of Koeberg’s first reactor has received regulatory approval; the second reactor is now going through this process.) For example, Necsa has been providing assistance in removing old equipment from the NPP, which is being replaced by new equipment. Necsa is also responsible for the safe disposal of the old equipment.

“Through our advanced manufacturing capabilities, we are also assisting Eskom by manufacturing specialised equipment,” highlights Simelane. “We’re the only ASME III [nuclear] certified company in the country, and in Africa.”

Necsa is currently manufacturing pipes for Koeberg, to the even higher standards introduced after the nuclear accident in Fukushima, Japan. These are part of a programme to upgrade Koeberg to the new post-Fukushima NPP standard.

“Necsa also plays a key role in developing nuclear skills in the country, through the Necsa Learning Academy,” he concludes.