Neelam Rahim / neelam@radioislam.co.za

3 min read
24 January 2023 / 11:53 pm CAT

Civil society organisation AfriForum has plans to address the country’s electricity crisis. The organisation says it was fed up with the electricity situation and was going to start its own electricity generation company. The government has faced high levels of loadshedding stages for months on end.

In discussion with Radio Islam International, AfriForum’s Johan Kruger explains the concept of a pebble bed power station project.

There are formal talks with an investment company, namely C57, that invests in nuclear energy working on pebble bed reactors in Washington. According to Kruger, that will be 2027 ready to provide power to South Africa’s energy mix as well as globally.

The advanced technology has been picked up by South Africans working at the X-energy company in Washington. The technology is a long-term solution contributing to reliable power in South Africa.

However, Kruger said existing legislation remains burdensome for the idea to become a reality.

“Nuclear power and working in a regulatory environment that is quite strict and cumbersome which calls for deregulation and less stricter regulations. This will enable companies, independent power producers and individuals who can start offering power back into the grid,” he added.

Meanwhile, funding for the project will be a costly undertaking.

According to Kruger, there are three stages of the energy plan currently. The first stage is less capital intensive, assisting consumers in gaining independence from Eskom through facilitating access to finance and knowledge and attacking the strict regulations. The second stage is less capital-intensive as well and aims to free towns and cities from municipal electricity with an interesting success story from Mafubi Local Municipality. However, Kruger states that stage three becomes capital-intensive and involves formal talks with C57 Capital.

He says, “bringing capital and skill is one of the main purposes of the energy plan.”

Listen to the interview with Mufti Yusuf Moosagie and Johan Kruger on Radio Islam’s podcast.