Pebble-Bed Modular Reactor
   
   

National Integrated Resource Plan (NIRP) – 2003/2004

In response to the White Paper’s objective relating to affordable energy services, the National Electricity Regulator commissioned a NIRP. The objective of the NIRP is to determine the least cost supply option to the country, provide information on the opportunities for investment into new power stations and evaluate the security of supply.

The national electricity demand forecast took a number of factors into account. They are:

  • a 2.8% average annual economic growth;

  • the development and expansion of a number of large energy-intensive industrial projects;

  • electrification needs;

  • a reduction in energy intensity over the 20 year planning horizon;

  • a reduction in electricity consumers who will switch to the direct use of natural gas;

  • the supply of electricity to large mining and industrial projects in Namibia and Mozambique; and

  • typical demand profiles.

The outcome of the NIRP determined that while the coal-fired option of generating electricity would still be required over the next 20 years, additional energy generation facilities would be required by 2007.

Need for Energy Expansion

South Africa’s surplus electricity supply is expected to be exhausted by 2007. In order to meet growing electricity demands, South Africa will need to develop additional power generating capacity while at the same time ensuring energy efficiency programmes are implemented to reduce and shift demand.

Integrated Strategic Electricity Planning (ISEP) in Eskom

Eskom’s Integrated Strategic Electricity Planning (ISEP) process provides strategic projections of supply-side and demand-side options to be implemented to meet long-term load forecasts.

The most attractive supply-side option is the return to service of the mothballed plant referred to as the Simunye Power Stations, which were placed in reserve storage during the period of high excess capacity on the Eskom system. Eskom has investigated a variety of options, including conventional pulverised fuel plants, pumped storage schemes, gas fired plants, nuclear plants (Pebble Bed Modular Reactor - PBMR), greenfield fluidised bed combustion technologies and renewable energy technologies (mainly wind and solar projects). As part of an ongoing effort to evaluate the viability of all supply-side options, a number of power generation technologies, not yet implemented in South Africa on a commercial basis, are been evaluated in terms of technical, socio-economic and environmental aspects.  These research, development and demonstration investigations include:

  • Underground high head pumped storage (hydro) schemes using worked out mines.

  • Underground coal gasification.

  • Ultra fines coal.

  • Wind energy.

  • Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) technology.

  • A 100 MW(e) solar thermal power plant.

  • Photovoltaic and biomass gasification applications as part of the Government’s Integrated Rural Development Programme.

Preliminary results of these studies indicate that it is necessary to validate the assumptions and modelling of some of these options through demonstration/pilot plants.  The research and demonstration period for new technologies may take a number of years to consider the long-term technical, operational and socio-economic aspects.  A demonstration/pilot plant would provide sufficient information to make a decision on the commercial use of a technology.

The proposed PBMR DPP is one of these demonstrations.  Other demonstration/pilot plants either already in operation or in the feasibility planning stage include large-scale solar thermal technology, a wind demonstration facility, biomass gasification and underground coal gasification.

While individual aspects of the technologies used in the PBMR DPP have already been proven by various projects throughout the world, one of the purposes of this project is to demonstrate the integration of these technologies.  The main component of the project entails a demonstration module for a 400 MW(t)  electricity generating power station at Koeberg Power Station Site in the Western Cape, for which Eskom is the applicant.

In accordance with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations, appointed a consortium of independent consultants  to undertake an entirely new EIA for the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor Demonstration Power Plant (PBMR DPP) commencing in 2005 when Eskom.  The intention of this website is to facilitate an easily referenced one stop shop on all aspects of the EIA that is to be undertaken. The information on this website will include:

It must be borne in mind that this is a dynamic website and information can be changed without notification.