30 Mar (NucNet): Developers of pebble bed nuclear reactor technology in South Africa and China have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that they say will allow them to collaborate in a number of strategic and technical areas relating to high temperature reactor projects in both countries.
Pebble Bed Modular Reactor Ltd (PBMR) of South Africa, the Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology (INET) of Tsinghua University and technology company Chinergy Co Ltd, signed the agreement in Beijing on 26 March 2009.
PBMR has been developing pebble bed technology in South Africa. INET, a nuclear research and experimental centre, and Chinergy are working on a pebble bed concept based on a 10-megawatt (thermal) research reactor that was started up in Beijing in December 2000 and achieved full power operation in January 2003.
PBMR chief executive officer Jaco Kriek welcomed the collaboration with China. He said the MOU will create opportunities for the future commercialisation of the technology and strengthen supply chains in both countries. As emerging economies, both South Africa and China have extensive energy requirements, with an emphasis on increasing nuclear energy as part of the energy mix.
Mr Kriek said: “While the two projects have chosen slightly different technical approaches, we both fully believe that high temperature, gas-cooled reactors using pebble fuel offer the best potential for sustainable, clean, reliable and safe sources of energy globally.”
PBMR’s reactor project entails the building of both a demonstration plant at Koeberg, the site of the country’s only existing nuclear reactor unit, and a pebble fuel manufacturing plant at Pelindaba near Pretoria. The schedule is to start construction in 2010 and for the demonstration plant to be completed by 2014.
>>Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)
Ruling Clears Way For PBMR’s Pilot Fuel Plant In South Africa (World Nuclear Review No. 5, 2 February 2007)
South Africa’s PBMR Project Moves ‘Closer To Construction (World Nuclear Review No. 32, 22 August 2008)
