Rosatom may localize up to 65% of N-power output in South Africa

15-2-2013 — /europawire.eu/ — Russia’s State Nuclear Corporation Rosatom, which plans to bid in a nuclear tender in South Africa, may build up localization of nuclear power output in this country to 65% from 40% if it gets big commercial contracts for all tendered nuclear power reactors, an executive said Thursday.

“In this case localization may reach 60% to 65% by the end of the project and local suppliers may be included in our global network of supplies,” Alexander Kirillov, representative of Rusatom Overseas company in South Africa said at a Rosatom presentation that was held at the National Press Club in Pretoria.

Rusatom Overseas promotes Rosatom’s projects on the international market.

The South African government plans to tender the construction of six reactors with a total capacity of 9.6-gigawatt which will boost the share of nuclear power in the national energy balance to 25% from current 5%.

The localization of production and creation of new jobs is one of the main requirements of the South African government. At this moment, Rosatom finds it possible to localize up to 40% of nuclear power production in South Africa, including 24% in civil construction, 8% in electric equipment, 4% in pipes, and 2% in air-conditioning. “Compared with other countries, Russia has an advantage because it has never stopped building nuclear power plants,” Vice-President of Rusatom Overseas Ivan Dybov told Itar-Tass on the sidelines of the presentation.

“We propose long-term strategic partnership in joint development of the nuclear sector in South Africa,” he said.

Rosatom supplies 45% of enriched uranium for the Koeberg nuclear plant, the only one in South Africa and on the African continent in general. Rusatom Overseas became the first foreign and Russian company to launch a presentation at the National Press Club.

“People today speak a lot about renewable energy, but they do not know the high cost of the renewable energy,” said National Press Club chairwoman Antoinette Slabbert. “We listened with interest to Russian nuclear experts”.

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