• Governed by two pieces of Legislation
• Nuclear Energy Act - Establishes the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (NECSA) -Sets requirements for Imports and Exports - Sets Institutional obligations
• National Nuclear Regulator Act - Provides for the Protection of Persons ,Property and Environment against nuclear damage
• Other Key Sector specific Legislation:
• Hazardous Substances Act, 1973 - DoH
• Act on the Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction, 1993 (Act No.87 of 1993) - The DTI

Key Players in the Nuclear Sector

• Employs about 3200 people
• Eskom - Koeberg Nuclear Power Station
• South African Nuclear Energy Corporation -NECSA
• The PBMR (Ply) Ltd
• National Nuclear Regulator
• Nuclear Fuels Corporation - NUFCOR
• lthemba Laboratories
• Nuclear Medicine - Hospitals

• "Government will ensure that decisions to construct new nuclear power stations are taken within the context of an integrated energy policy planning process with due consideration given to all
• legislation, and the process subject to structured participation and consultation with all stakeholders."

The Draft Integrated Energy Plan concludes that nuclear power should remain an option in South Africa. The EIA and NNR processes are subject to structured public participation with all

• The following have been published:
• Cooperative Governance
• Format of Application
• Establishment of Public Safety Information forum
• Fees in Respect of Nuclear Authorisations
• Categorisation of Nuclear Installations
• Control of Development surrounding installations
• The Draft Regulation Safety Standards and Regulatory Practices was published for comment and is being finalised

• IAEA - Safeguards and Additional Protocol

-Conventions on Nuclear Safety, Early Notification of an accident and Assistance during emergencies

-AFRA

• Nuclear Suppliers Group

Profiles of Other Countries

• Developed and developing countries are both looking at nuclear growth. The growth is led by the Far East.
• INDIA - has 14 nuclear power plants in operation, a further 8 underconstruction.
• BRAZIL - has 2 operating nuclear power plants. Their National Energy Policy Council authorized the completion of a 3^rd plant, ANGRA-3, but subject to authorization in May 2003 by the Brazilian government. ANGRA-2 connected to the grid during 2000.
• FINLAND - In May 2002, the Finnish parliament ratified the Government's "decision in principle" to build a 5'h nuclear power station
• FRANCE - has long experience in nuclear and helped build KOEBERG. They connected another power station onto their grid in 1999 - 75% of their electricity is from nuclear

Generation Challenges

• Energy sources concentrated in North East of the RSA (Western and Eastern Cape are therefore most vulnerable because the long distances of transmission make the grid unstable)
• 
  RSA needs to invest in new generation capacity to replace ageing stations. By 2020, the entire 37000MW needs to be replaced
• 
  What options do we have? Coal, Imported Hydro, Nuclear, Wind and Solar (although this cannot be significant)
• All these options are being investigated currently

The Nuclear Option

• Nuclear Power contributes and will contribute to diversity of supply
• RSA requires uninterruptible (for heavy industries) sources of electricity supply
• RSA needs to decrease its dependence on coal -e.g. leave strategic reserves for the future and reduce emissions
• Contributes to the Security of Supply - Energy Policy White Paper

The Koeberg Record

• Koeberg generates about 6% of the total electricity in the RSA
• Supplies 1800 MW to the National Grid
• Has Operated for 20 years without an incident
• The Western Cape relies on Koeberg for electricity

• A Research, Development and Demonstration Project
• Based on German Technology
• EIA - Positive ROD from DEAT
• Minister: DEAT to rule on appeals
• NNR -Still to conduct comprehensive public hearings
• Export potential of PBMR is attractive for South Africa
• PBMR technology could be a springboard to production of hydrogen fuel, which is the fuel of the future

• Policy and Strategy Doc published in 2003
• Capacity Building Workshops to be held in Western Cape, Northern Cape, Gauteng and North-West
• Lasting Long-Term solution to Radwaste
• Aims at Safe Management of Radwaste
• Adequate Financial Provision for Radwaste
• Creates Institutional Framework
• Focus mainly on High Level Waste

• Waste Managed Safely -NNR Reports Back this view
• Absence of Long Term Waste Management Strategy a challenge
• Public understanding of Nuclear Issues a challenge
• Capacity for long term management inadequate
• Spent Fuel (HLW) - Generated At Koeberg and at SAFARI at NECSA
• Low and Intermediate Level Waste (LILW) from Koeberg disposed at Vaalputs
• LILW from NECSA still on the Pelindaba site

Radwaste Policy and Strategy

• Protection of Human Health
• Protection of Environment
• Protection beyond Borders
• Protection of future Generations
• Burden on future Generations
• National Legal Framework
• Control of waste generation
• Management of Interdependencies

Radwaste Policy and Strategy

• Safety of Facilities
• Polluter Pays
• Transparency
• Sound decision making
• Precautionary Principle
• No Import or Export
• Cooperative Governance
• International Cooperation
• Public participation
• Capacity building and education

• National Executive Coordinating Committee
• National Nuclear Regulator
• National Radwaste Agency/NECSA Division

Radwaste Fund

• ESKOM has funds set aside for Koeberg waste and D&D
• Policy Proposal for a National Waste Fund
• Managed by Govt. appointed entity and to operate Independently of generators
• All Generators to contribute to the fund -albeit on a graded scale.

Key Recommendations

• Vaalputs continues to be used for Low and Intermediate Level Waste
• No other interim storage site for High Level Waste
• Three options proposed for further investigation for High Level Waste:
• Above Ground Interim Storage (AGIS)
• Deep Geological Disposal (DFD)
• Reprocessing Conditioning and Recycling (RCR)

Radwaste

• Which option for Spent Fuel?
• Funding Mechanism
• Agency or NECSA
• Ensuring Public Participation
• Capacity Building
• Integration of Mining Waste

Challenges

• Communication on Benefits of Nuclear Technology
• Maintaining a competent workforce
• Ensuring Cooperative Governance
• Dealing Comprehensively with Spent Nuclear Fuel
• Review of Security measures

Current Initiatives

• STEP - Agreement with AREVA
• PBMR - 5 PhDs, 6 MSc, and 21 BSc
• TC Projects -
• Fruit fly and Tsetse
• Women in Nuclear - WINSA
• Disaster Management coordination
• Design Basis Threat

THANK YOU