Africa: Powering Continent By Nuclear Energy

African countries’ power condition is expected to become more critical by next year, when demand in the region is expected to exceed the combined supply of 45,000 MW from the Southern African Power Pool.

Nathaniel Maphathe, chairman of the South African Power Pool (SAPP) Management Committee, has expressed his worry over the diminishing electricity supply in the SADC region at the 29th SAPP symposium in Namibia. Eskom, the South African power utility’s electricity generation capacity is 39,810 MW and it is inadequate to cope with the rising GDP (around 6%), new housing schemes, World Cup Project, energy-intensive mining and manufacturing industries.
Algeria is an oil and gas rich African country. Its GDP was US$105 and the GDP growth was 6.5% in 2007. Algeria’s oil export will reach 2 million barrels per day by 2010. Algeria possesses more than enough energy supply, but it already constructed two research reactors built by China and Argentina.

Egypt houses few small research nuclear reactors. Hydro-power plants are generating 84% of the electricity supply. In 2007, Egypt began to construct a 1,000 MW nuclear power plant. This project will help Egypt to accelerate the current GDP growth of 5.9% and its US$ 116 GDP.

Tunisia’s US$28.7 billion economy is powered totally by fossil-based power plants that produce electricity equivalent to 8.5 metric tons of oil. To gain energy security and reduce carbon emission, in 2005 the Ministry of Energy signed an agreement with France’s Areva, to construct a 600 MW nuclear reactor and it will cost US$I .14 billion.

Nigeria is the most populous nation in Africa and its electricity demand will increase up to 10,000 MW by 2010. The oil and industries generated US$137 billion worth of GDP in 2007 and the GDP growth was 5.7 %. Currently, Nigeria wants to build few reactors to generate 4000 MW by 2025.

Ghana’s 11.3 million population has no access to electricity. Annual GDP growth in 2005 was 2.5% and 44% of the population lives by one US Dollar a day. In 2005, it received 47.6% of electricity from oil and gas-based power stations and the cost was unbearable for this country. Anyhow, in 1994 Ghana constructed a Chinese research reactor and currently the government is busy with establishing another nuclear power plant.

South Africa is the most experienced nuclear nation in Africa. Its Koeberg nuclear facility generates 1800 MW of electricity. To challenge the looming energy crisis, and secure the energy independence, it is planning to construct 24 reactors by 2025 to generate 25,000 MW.

This Herculean nuclear power project will be constructed by France’s Aria. And, South Africa has decided to establish a uranium enrichment plant to produce reactor-fuel.

Namibia is a vibrant country with 2 million people and possesses a wide range of mineral resources. It is the 4th largest uranium producer in the world. This country imports 45% of its electricity (200 MW) from South African nuclear reactors and the rest is filled by the thermal and hydro power plants.

In comparison to the massive electricity needs of other African countries, Namibia requires only 500 MW. A medium-size nuclear reactor is quiet enough to bring energy security.

AllAfrica