Proposed nuclear plant sparks concerns in Eastern Cape

Environmental activists and residents in the Kouga Municipality are raising concerns about Eskom's proposed 5 200-megawatt nuclear plant at Thyspunt.

Community members and groups including Earthlife Africa have joined forces to express worries over the project. They highlight potential strain on local resources from an expected construction workforce of around 10 000 people.

Kouga Municipality mayor Hatting Bornman stated that the area lacks sufficient infrastructure for such a large influx. He noted concerns over water, sanitation, electricity and refuse removal, saying the municipality can handle normal growth but not the demands during construction.

Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokoena said the issues are being reviewed with environmental studies. She added that mitigation measures would be developed with authorities if the project advances.

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Illustration of Uniper rejecting new nuclear reactors at Barsebäck power plant.
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Uniper rejects new reactors at Barsebäck

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German company Uniper, owner of Barsebäck, has rejected an application to build two new boiling water reactors at the site. The application comes from Nordic Baseload Power which is also seeking government support.

Eskom held a media briefing on Sunday to clarify four recent radiation-related incidents at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station. The events occurred during a planned maintenance outage of Unit 2 and involved airborne contamination from steam generator testing. Officials stressed that no material was released beyond the plant and there was no danger to the public.

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Four new major data centres in Cape Town are set to consume the equivalent of 34% of the city's current maximum electricity demand, raising sustainability concerns. Civil society groups have objected to Equinix's proposals over lacks in information on water, emissions and diesel generators. The city and Equinix responded that impacts are manageable.

Plans for a large data center complex in rural Utah have sparked public opposition due to concerns about energy use, water consumption and impacts on the Great Salt Lake.

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