The Future of SA Nuclear Energy Post 123 Agreement

This research paper examines the implications of the expired 123 Agreement between the US and South Africa, the operational status of the Koeberg Nuclear Power Plant, and South Africa's broader nuclear energy strategy, including a new plan to procure 2500 MW of additional nuclear power.

• The 123 Agreement between the US and South Africa expired in 2022, leading to the suspension of the export license for Westinghouse Electric Corporation, a key nuclear fuel supplier. While this has not yet caused significant problems for recent refuelling at the Koeberg Nuclear Power Plant, negotiations for a new agreement are currently at a deadlock because South Africa insists on its right to produce its own nuclear fuel.
• The Koeberg Nuclear Power Plant, Africa's only current nuclear station, provides approximately 6% of South Africa's electricity via two 920 MW reactors. Eskom is working to extend the plant's operational life from 2024 to 2045, a process involving the replacement of steam generators. Unit 1 was cleared to resume operation on 30 December 2023, while Unit 2 was taken offline on 11 December 2023 and is expected to remain so until September 2024. The renewal of Eskom's operating license, which expires on 21 July 2024, depends on these upgrades.
• Following a July 2023 Russia-Africa summit, the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Russia's TVEL (part of Rosatom) for the manufacture of nuclear fuel and components. This agreement, alongside other ties with Russia, may be viewed with scepticism by the international community and could impact the renewal of the 123 Agreement with the US.
• South Africa announced on 12 December 2023 a plan to procure an additional 2500 MW of nuclear power to combat loadshedding, though the procurement and construction process is expected to take at least ten years. Previous nuclear expansion plans under Jacob Zuma were declared unconstitutional following legal challenges by Earthlife Africa and the Southern African Faith Communities Environment Institute (SAFCEI) and allegations of corruption.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2024). The Future of SA Nuclear Energy Post 123 Agreement. https://saiia.org.za/research/the-future-of-sa-nuclear-energy-post-123-agreement/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. The Future of SA Nuclear Energy Post 123 Agreement. 2024. https://saiia.org.za/research/the-future-of-sa-nuclear-energy-post-123-agreement/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=The Future of SA Nuclear Energy Post 123 Agreement |date=12 January 2024 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/the-future-of-sa-nuclear-energy-post-123-agreement/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2024future, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{The Future of SA Nuclear Energy Post 123 Agreement}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2024}, month = jan, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/the-future-of-sa-nuclear-energy-post-123-agreement/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }