Likely to hit poor hardest
THE new minister of Energy, David Mahlobo, at a briefing with the portfolio committee on energy in parliament, has announced an Energy Indaba to take place in December.
After the Western Cape High Court ordered, in March this year, the nuclear deal procurement process back to the drawing board to ensure it incorporates public participation, it is essential that meaningful participation and informed discussion is at the heart of the energy discussion.
We cannot stand for token processes that do not consult and include ordinary South Africans.
Yet the minister has not provided the public with key information needed for full and effective public participation to occur. He has not answered key questions around the cost, feasibility and timeframe of nuclear energy projects, and has given no new information on the agreement with Russia’s nuclear vendor company, Rosatom.
To ensure the public has all of the information necessary to make informed decisions and input into this essential process, R2K has submitted two Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) requests for information around energy resources and the nuclear deal.
W have e asked for all findings and reports stemming from research into the economic feasibility of different energy-generation technologies to the Government Technical Advisory Centre (GTAC).
This research is cited on the GTAC website, which states that it [the research] has until now had a specific focus on renewable energies, including solar, hydro, shale gas and imported gas, and also looks at nuclear energy.
All the research and reports on economic feasibility must be released to the public!
According to the GTAC website, this “includes understanding unit costs from each technology type for producing electricity, the likely impact on the consumer tariff, requirements for government support, suitability to private financing and ownership, major risks, probability of cost overruns, country readiness and other related characteristics that are important to take into account when making investment choices”.
We’ve also requested the report finalised by GTAC in November 2016 on Russia’s Rosatom. This is particularly important since it has been suggested that the terms of the intergovernmental agreements between Russia and South Africa, give Russian investors a more favourable position than those of other nations.
Secret deals cannot be made with big companies that are not in the interest of a cost-effective energy solution that will provide jobs in South Africa. It is essential that all information on Rosatom and on the relationship between Rosatom and the SA government is transparent and included in consultation processes. GTAC now has 30 days to respond to the request. We have a right to know: • Why nuclear energy when SA has readily available and cheaper renewable energy options?
• Can SA afford R1-trillion for nuclear when there is such a need for investment on basic social and economic needs and services?
• Why is the government so intent on buying nuclear energy when most countries are opting for renewable energy? • Who stands to benefit from the nuclear deal? • Why has government been so secretive about the nuclear procurement process?
Recent reports from the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Energy have created confusion on the way forward on nuclear. We cannot have a deal that will impact the poor the most – in fact, be one of nuclear poverty. — Carina Conradie, R2K
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