The demothballing of South Africa’s second nuclear energy solution, the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) at the Pelindaba site, in the North West province, was formally announced by Energy and Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa in November last year. This represents a renewed commitment to energy security and diversification, positioning South Africa as a leader in small modular reactor (SMR) technology. “Although the project will still be referred to as the PBMR, the actual original PBMR design will not be reactivated,” says nuclear physicist and Stratek Global chairperson Dr Kelvin Kemm.
