1. South African nuclear company partners with technology consultancy to develop a first-of-a-kind reactor in South Africa.
2. The HTMR-100 reactor, derived from the discontinued Pebble Bed Modular Reactor program, will produce 100MW of heat and 35MW of electricity.
3. The addition of nuclear power to South Africa’s energy grid is seen as crucial due to ongoing energy problems and heavy reliance on coal for electricity generation.
South Africa has been facing energy problems, leading to a partnership between Stratek Global and Koya Capital to finance and construct a new HTMR-100 reactor in Pretoria. This reactor is derived from the PBMR program, using TRISO fuel and helium coolant to produce heat and electricity. The South African government stopped investing in the PBMR project in 1993, placing it under care and maintenance to protect its assets.
Koya Capital’s head of cleantech, Stephen Edkins, views the new reactor project as a promising investment opportunity. The collaboration aims to establish a benchmark in clean, reliable energy for Africa and beyond. With South Africa still recovering from years of energy crisis due to mismanagement by Eskom, the addition of further nuclear power to the grid is seen as crucial.
Coal currently dominates South Africa’s energy mix, with the ruling African National Congress cautious about disrupting the industry due to the influence of mineworkers as a key voting constituency. The partnership between Stratek Global and Koya Capital represents a step towards cleaner, more dependable energy solutions, addressing the pressing need for stable power sources in South Africa and globally.