In support of nuclear power

AN ARTICLE in the Cape Argus quoted Cape Chamber of Commerce head Janine Myburgh when she supported nuclear power. It was most pleasing to see the correct and sensible comments of Myburgh. But it was a pity the Cape Argus journalist then saw fit to publish only anti-nuclear responses from the extremist anti-nuclear lobby. This is like asking only the florist and the baker to comment on Groote Schuur open-heart surgery techniques.

Myburgh was being sensible for business and industry, which in turn means for the good of the country.

I love Myburgh’s comment: “Let’s play with a full deck of cards, including nuclear. Then we will know which system gives us more sizzle for our steak so that we can keep the kitchen of our economy operating 24/7.”

That is exactly the correct sentiment. If you want the steak to sizzle you had better have reliable electricity … all day, not only when the sun shines or the wind blows.

Myburgh also pointed out the business basis of the wind and solar frenzy; and that is this fear of carbon dioxide, the gas we breathe out all day.

More and more, science is indicating carbon dioxide is not a problem, and the slight global warming seems to be totally natural and is linked to cyclic magnetic activity in the sun.

But the green lobby do not want to hear there is a natural explanation. They want industry to be to blamed, so they can force a change in society to develop “decentralised energy” which is under the control of the “people” and not large organisations like Eskom. The “decentralized energy” path is a route to control general economic growth. In fact, to limit economic growth, supposedly in the interests of “the recovery of the planet”.

The Cape Argus quoted an activist saying no small modular reactors are currently available. That is not true. South Africa developed a world-leading design, the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) and was ready to start construction in 2008. Since then, a second South African design was developed by a private team. The HTMR-100 is a simpler, cheaper version of the PBMR. It can be constructed faster in South Africa using SA technology. DR KELVIN KEMM | Nuclear physicist and CEO of Stratek Business Strategy Consultants, Pretoria