As a member of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, South Africa uses nuclear science for peaceful means. The South African nuclear program includes both nuclear energy and nuclear medicine. In the past there was also a military component.
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The Koeberg nuclear power station is the only nuclear power station in South Africa and contains two uranium pressurized water reactors based on a design by Framatome of France. The station located 30 km north of Cape Town. The plant is owned and operated by the country's national electricity supplier, Eskom.
The Pebble bed modular reactor (PBMR) was a particular design of pebble bed reactor under development by South African company PBMR (Pty) Ltd since 1994. The project entailed the construction of a demonstration power plant at Koeberg near Cape Town and a fuel plant at Pelindaba near Pretoria.
The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (NECSA) was established as a public company by the Republic of South Africa Nuclear Energy Act in 1999 and is wholly owned by the State. NECSA replaced the country's Atomic Energy Corporation. The main functions of NECSA are to undertake and promote research and development in the field of nuclear energy and related technologies; to process and store nuclear material and other restricted material; and to co-ordinate with other organisations in matters falling within these spheres.
The project is currently being dismantled.
The following South African universities offer courses in nuclear engineering:
The Nuclear Industry Association of South Africa, or NIASA is an industry association aiming to promote the public understanding of nuclear technology. It is a lobby group consisting of companies such as Eskom, PBMR, AREVA and EDF.
Earthlife Africa is an organization vehemently campaigning against nuclear energy in South Africa. They believe its neither safe nor cost-effective.[1]
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