MOSCOW, December 26. /TASS/. South Africa intends to build a nuclear power plant (NPP) in coordination with Russia, Anna Thandi Moraka, Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, told TASS.
When asked if South Africa is considering building an NPP with Russia’s help, she replied: "Yes, we are exploring the possibility of building an NPP in South Africa."
"We have made a number of efforts in this direction. Our Ministry of Energy has been cooperating on this with our partners in Russia. I believe they are currently in the final stages of preparation for signing a memorandum on how to start the practical implementation of the existing agreements," she added.
"We look forward to this kind of cooperation, which will help us address energy affordability in the country in the near future," Moraka said.
According to her, South Africa will rely heavily on Russia to teach it about the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
"The South African Ministry of Energy has been making efforts to develop renewable energy sources in the country in the form of peaceful nuclear energy. And we will rely heavily on Russia to provide skills and expertise in this area. Because, as you know, South Africa's energy sector has been facing challenges to the point that for much of the past few years, we have had to resort to rolling blackouts for consumers. Only now, after we introduced renewable energy sources into the national grid, have we been able to serve our households and keep the lights on in the country, as well as ensure that business can continue as usual without any disruptions," the South African Deputy Foreign Minister said.
She also called on Russian companies to consider South Africa as a priority destination for investment in nuclear energy initiatives.
"We expect them to examine our regulatory framework governing international investment and be open to exploring how we can strengthen each other's nuclear energy capabilities," Moraka concluded.