South Africa’s Director General of Environmental Affairs and Tourism said on Thursday that the department has decided that the environmental impact of the proposed pebble bed modular nuclear reactor (PBMR) at Koeberg and the manufacturing and transportation of nuclear fuel to and from Pelindaba, is acceptable from an environmental impact point of view, subject to specific conditions.
Crispian Olver confirmed that the applications had been processed in accordance with the legal mandate of the department, and an elaborate process of investigation had been followed over a three-year period.
”Thorough environmental impact assessments were undertaken, and the outcome of these studies indicated that the environmental impact of the developments were acceptable” he said.
He was also satisfied about public participation in the process.
”As part of this process, adequate provision has been made for the public to participate and to raise issues of concern. These have been thoroughly documented and addressed.”
He warned that the department was not responsible for nuclear safety and that there was a competent authority in that respect — the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) — where a separate licensing process was required in terms of a different Act that dealt with nuclear safety matters.
”During the environmental assessment process it became clear that a main area of concern relates to policy issues around the use of nuclear power and to the storage of nuclear waste,” Olver observed.
”These issues fall outside the mandate of this department, and are separate matters that are being addressed by the Department of Minerals and Energy”.
He confirmed that the Department of Minerals and Energy was busy with the finalisation of a radioactive waste management policy and strategy.
”Adherence to and alignment with this policy is a condition of these approvals,” he concluded. – I-Net Bridge