Nuclear future for Namibia

[Mie1]

Namibia plans to adopt nuclear power as a source of energy over the next 15 to 20 years.

"We have made a decision to build a nuclear power plant," confirmed Namibian Mines and Energy Minister Erkki Nghimtina to Engineering News Online at the International Conference on Access to Civil Nuclear Energy in Paris on Tuesday.

"We're saying it will be built in the future. It will be a long process. But we have to start preparing now. Our policy is that by 2030 Namibia will be an industrial country, and to be an industrial country you need energy."

There is no firm target date yet for the commissioning of the projected nuclear power plant; however this is likely to happen in the second half of the next decade - perhaps 2025 or 2027 - although an earlier date is not impossible.

In his address to the conference, also on Tuesday, Nghimtina pointed out that "Namibia produces large quantities of uranium, but struggles to meet its electricity needs."

The country currently generates about 400 MW of electricity, but this figure falls by some 35% during the dry season, because of the country's dependence on hydroelectricity and the reduction in the river flow during the dry period.

"There is a significant shortfall between local generation and local demand," he pointed out, with the result that Namibia imports as much as 60% of its power from South Africa and other Southern African Development Community Countries.

"Namibia has decided to diversify its energy mix."

The country's variable rainfall and frequent droughts (as well as occasional floods) were factors in causing Namibia to look at the option of nuclear energy. Namibia is now seeking to create a comprehensive legal framework for nuclear energy and set up an independent nuclear regulator.

Nghimtina praised French President Nicolas Sarkozy's announcements that he was going to press international financial institutions to provide financing for nuclear power projects and that France was going to set up an International Nuclear School.

EngineeringNews

[juikk]

I guess if we are to experience a power crisis, this was an inevitable route, just worried about the manpower. Thus far I only heard about one Namibian studying nuclear science. How many more do we have abroad studying for this vital industry?

[Patriot007]

Well, while nuclear power is maybe not the most desirable as opposed to renewables it is an option we might want to take esspecially inlight of the fact that RSA might want to cancel their export of power to focus on local cosumption. If the deadline is by 2030 that leaves us with ample time to prepare and train staff. For those that we cannot train we need to look to source the expertise. In the end that might be what we will have to do in any case. I am also not aware of many students that have entered this field for study.

[Mie1]

Juikk, Patriot_007,

I don't know of any by name, but I believe we have at least TWO studying overseas in nuclear-related fields...

[juikk]

Well this is one field we will need to remove tribe and start scouting for the 'talent' at all levels of our society and send out more than the 2 we know about, we will need to send quite a number abroad to minimize future risk of loosing such human capital...just saying

[juikk]

To what exetend is Rossing a player on the Nuclear science map? Do they not groom scientists in this field? How much can they contribute to such development(nuclear plant?) apart from the provisioning of the uranium itself?

[Mie1]

Rössing says the following on its website for 2010 bursaries ..... but this only applies to the mining of Uranium, not the generation of power from its product:

Rössing Uranium is proud to be a Namibian EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. As part of the Rio Tinto Group, we are dedicated to leading edge environmental, health, safety, community and competitive employment standards. We are focused on advancing our mining and metallurgical technology and becoming an innovative supplier of clean, environmentally friendly energy to approved electricity generators worldwide.

Rössing realises the importance of developing the country’s human potential and, to cater for the mine’s needs, we are especially interested in Namibian students wishing to study in, or who are presently studying in the following career fields:

Chemical/Metallurgical Engineering
Chemistry
Electrical Engineering
Geology
Information Technology
Medical Practitioner (MBChB)
Mining Engineering
Survey

[tjommie]

Well I'm currently completing my degree in nuclear physics.

The minister is correct in wanting to diversify the energy generation. Unfortunately, nuclear power is not going to solve all our problems. Setting one up is also not as simple. However, generating a "nuclear policy" is paramount and it is what we lack in our country at the moment. So, at least we are starting somewhere and, to me, the correct place.

Human capital, our biggest challenge: Clearly lacking! I am of the opinion that it will be cheaper to build the nuclear power plant than to generate human Namibian capital to build and run the plant. Consider for a moment, the amount of Maths and Science teachers we are producing per year. Having said that, how many maths, physics, chemistry and biology students are we getting into varsity per year. If it takes about 3500 highly trained professionals to "run" a nuclear power plant, will we reach 10% of that capital in 10 years. Is 10% a sufficient target? A quick analysis of that target will mean we will have to get 35 trained proffessionals into the industry per year. 5 years study per student at an estimated cost of N$300 000/student is just over N$10 000 000/year. For 10 years, N$100 000 000 is but a small amount to fork out for education, don't you think? Fact is, its going to be expensive. How serious is government around this wish to have our own powerplant? The quantity of students that gain entrance to university will be a quick and effective barometer!

I am however proud that we are a nation that believes its possible to achieve. But we need to be serious about this plan.

[Patriot007]

That is what I have also initial though. How are we going to get the capable persons to run this. Look we have a long term window on it and I think we need to get cracking on this but also in conjuction with other avenues towards energy security. I know that Kenia (announced on CNBC africa) will be setting up Geo Thermal energy plants or experiment with this. We also need to look at how we can wean ourselfs of coal or diesel generated power in the long run.

[juikk]

Well I'm currently completing my degree in nuclear physics.

5 years study per student at an estimated cost of N$300 000/student is just over N$10 000 000/year. For 10 years, N$100 000 000 is but a small amount to fork out for education, don't you think? Fact is, its going to be expensive. How serious is government around this wish to have our own powerplant? The quantity of students that gain entrance to university will be a quick and effective barometer!

.

Hi Tjommie,wow way to go there, and thanks for adding some depth to this discussion. I believe that mental capacity can be groomed easily. If government is indeed serious and I am for them to be and not leave this kind of dangerous field to more than 50% foreign stake be it in terms of human capital or otherwise, they will need to start at secondary level Gr8 students to be exact. Else it would be wise to if we would need e.g. 10 scientist for such project, we plan out to groom 3 times that figure, taking into consideration reducing risk of loosing this type of human capital.

Get those minds with the aptituded and groom them( and again, leave tribe out of this and concentrate on aptitude). For a 10 year plan we would have to already now know how many of our gr8 students should be groomed for this industry and start preparing them already. their high school career should ideally already be concentrated on Particle physics, LOL. Or it can be a programme that is run on extra mural basis, whichever works. Programmes geared at sensitizing interest in students should also start now.That should allow such students then to have their 5 year studies already accounted for in government bursaries. As a taxpayer, I would like to think this will be for a good course and would not mind that Saara sets aside a proper budget for such programme :-)

Of course programmmes gearing at 10 years plus from now can also be implemented at grade 6 to 7 levels. I do not think getting this right is really rocket science.