Africa-Press – Namibia. Russian company Rosatom says it supports Namibia’s plan to set up its first nuclear plant and is willing to help the country if asked.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah during her first state of the nation address, as well as earlier this year, mentioned that the country plans to initiate discussions on developing its first nuclear power plant. The president at the time said the country’s rich uranium resource should be used to drive national development and energy security.
“No dream is too big to achieve. Collectively, let’s start moving towards a nuclear power plant in Namibia and identify potential partnerships to make this a reality,” she said at the time.
Nandi-Ndaitwah reiterated her commitment to leveraging natural resources to empower Namibians, particularly the youth, and to drive industrialisation through beneficiation and value addition.
“Nuclear energy is essential and the government will put in effort to make sure the environment is conducive for the mining sector to flourish,” she said.
Executive director of industries, mines and energy Ben Nangombe yesterday told The Namibian the country is not in the construction phase of the plant yet as preliminary work and conditions need to be done and met. He said the process requires broad consultation internally and externally. “The Swapo manifesto calls for the exploration of the development of a nuclear power plant. We are not at the stage of construction yet. In due course, Namibia will identify partners that will present the best value proposition,” Nangombe said.
Rosatom Central and Southern Africa chief executive Ryan Collyer in a recent interview with Sputnik Africa said the country has potential, and the uranium company sees Namibia as a highly promising partner in the field of nuclear energy.
“… not only as a resource-rich nation, but also as a forward-thinking country with the potential to become a regional leader in low-carbon energy,” he said. Rosatom spokesperson Evdokia Polyakovskaya yesterday said the uranium firm supports Namibia’s nuclear power move.
“We are supporting Namibia’s decision to move forward with nuclear discussions and would be happy to assist if Namibia decides to choose us as a partner,” she said. Business Insider Africa yesterday said South Africa remains the only country in the southern African region operating a nuclear power plant, which is located at Koeberg near Cape Town.
The report noted that the country is also planning to finalise the procurement of an additional 2.5GW of nuclear power by 2024, with operations expected to commence by 2030. Namibia’s move aims to make use of the country’s vast uranium reserves, as it is currently the world’s third-largest uranium producer.
Namibia also wants to reduce the country’s heavy reliance on electricity imports from South Africa. The World Nuclear Association says Namibia’s uranium mines have the potential to supply up to 10% of global demand for nuclear fuel. Namibia currently imports over 60% of its electricity needs, which the country wants to change. Business Insider reports that Rosatom has signed cooperation agreements with several African governments. Its involvement in Namibia would not only expand Russia’s nuclear diplomacy on the continent but also establish a major foothold in southern Africa’s energy future.
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