Earthlife Africa is disillusioned by Alec Erwin's continuing confusion about the pebble bed modular reactor. Erwin cites the reactor as an efficient and economical method of providing power. Since its inception, costs and schedules on the reactor have continued to escalate.
Erwin continues to disguise the truth about the reactor, claiming that it will produce 400 megawatts. The 400MW is in fact the expected thermal output of one reactor and equates to an expected output of 165MW of electricity.
Further, he claims that South Africa's uranium supplies ensure security of supply. In fact, uranium needs to be enriched before it may be used to generate nuclear power. Enrichment is not done in South Africa and is an incredibly energy-intensive process. Therefore, the security of supply is hardly ensured.
Erwin fails to appreciate the tremendous resources we are gifted with in the form of wind and sunshine that could be used to generate electricity that is truly clean. It is arrogant in the extreme to assume that, where the US has invested at least $8 billion (R53 billion) in scientific studies trying to and failing to find a solution to high-level nuclear waste that remains radioactive for 240 000 years, South Africa would succeed.
Renewable energies would allow us to meet the growth and development goals of South Africa, while simultaneously allowing us to leave the legacy of a clean and safe environment for our future generations.
The renewable energies have the potential for tremendous job creation and are possibly the most direct link between investment and poverty alleviation available. Having already missed the opportunity to invest in ground-breaking solar power technology at the University of Johannesburg, it is hoped that the South African government will fast-track the implementation of renewable energy technologies.
Maya Aberman
Campaign Co-ordinator
Earthlife Africa