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Monday, November 23, 2009.

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Shannon de Ryhove.

Making headlines today:

Energy Minister Dipuo Peters says that South Africa could have a new nuclear power station operational by 2020. She says that the country still has an aspiration to add some 20 000 MW of nuclear capacity over the coming decades.

However, a specific date for the building of the second nuclear power generator will only be set after the finalisation of an integrated resource plan (IRP).

Peters says that the IRP will be finalised after the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change conference, which is taking place in Copenhagen next month.

She says that the IRP will be placed before Cabinet in February.

Volkswagen of South Africa MD and National Association of Automotive Manufacturers of South Africa president David Powels says that good progress has been made over the last few weeks to finalise the details of the automotive investment scheme (AIS). The AIS falls under government's new industry support programme, the Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP).

The APDP will replace the current Motor Industry Development Programme in 2013.

The AIS will replace the MIDP's production asset allowance, and will see between 20 to 30% of the project value returned to investors over a three-year period. The AIS is a form of grant to support investment in new plant and machinery.

Also making headlines:

A study shows that manufacturing is 30% more expensive in the Eastern Cape.
South Africa's thin-film solar plant may be operating within two-and-a-half years.
Energy and chemicals producer Sasol's emissions fell in 2009 in line with the economy.
And, South Africa is setting up a national operations room for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

That's a round up of news making headlines today. For more on these and other stories please visit engineeringnews.co.za.