Namibia is weighing nuclear power generation to cut electricity imports and strengthen long-term energy security, a senior government official said.
“Nuclear energy generation has become a serious option that we are pursuing vigorously,” National Planning Commission Director-General Kaire Mbuende said at the World Economic Foru in Davos, Switzerland.
The southern Africa nation, which is the world’s third-largest producer of uranium, will consider focusing on smaller, modular reactors and working with other countries in the region, he said.
Namibia currently imports more than half of its electricity from South Africa. Domestic generation is largely made up of hydropower and solar, with smaller contributions from coal and wind, and less than 60% of the population has access to electricity.
“With rising demands for energy in our neighboring country concomitant with the recurrent droughts as a result of the effect of climate change, Namibia could face energy insecurity if we do not take drastic measures,” Mbuende said.
Source: Bloomberg