SA parliament to open nuclear energy to debate

[miningmx.com] – THE portfolio committee on energy of South Africa’s parliament is to hold public hearings into government plans to build 9,600MW in nuclear energy – a development that may see it clash with the Department of Energy (DoE).

BDLive reported that the DoE and government’s executive were hoping to appoint a strategic nuclear power partner before the end of the fiscal year, but Fikile Majola, chairman of the committee said the matter should be open to rational debate.

“The whole process has been treated as a secretive project but if (it) were opened for discussion it would not be so controversial. Government can’t go secretly into a process like this. If we opened this up, we could convince a number of people of its necessity and at least there would have been a debate,” he said.

BDLive said there was suspicion among the public and ruling party that the rushed procurement and absence of public consultation is the result of politicians in a hurry to push through the deal before their terms of office end.

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