Based on its revenues forecast for the next decade, the South African power utility Eskom says it may invest $11 billion in nuclear program. Eskom’s Generation Executive, Matshela Koko, told Reuters that they plan to raise huge amounts of cash in the 2016/17 financial year. “These cash resources could be deployed to fund the new nuclear build programme,” he said.

The nation plans to develop 9,600 MW of nuclear power stations to cut coal-dependency. The program which has been estimated to cost about $100 billion fuels a lot of controversy in South Africa.

Chris Yelland, power analyst, said he does not understand how Eskom could forecast revenues so far in the future while its sales volumes were slumping and its debt rising. “What we are seeing is a very determined propaganda exercise to sell the idea of nuclear to the public,” he affirmed

Meanwhile, activist groups Earthlife Africa Johannesburg and Southern African Faith Communities Environment Institute asked the Supreme Court to bar the nuclear program. “We are very pleased that the court understands the urgency of this matter at a critical stage in South Africa’s energy decision-making process,” said Liz McDaid, a spokeswoman for the activists

Gwladys Johnson