The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will conduct an integrated nuclear infrastructure review (INIR) mission to South Africa during February next year, the Department of Energy (DoE) confirmed on Wednesday.

The review would follow a domestic self-evaluation report conducted under the aegis of the National Nuclear Energy Executive Coordination Committee (NNEECC), led by Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe.

This internal evaluations was pursued after the publication of the Integrated Resource Plan for electricity, which indicated that South Africa would build 9 600 MW of new nuclear energy capacity by 2030.

The INIR would seek to offer an objective review in terms of 19 milestones outlined by the IAEA.

In preparation for the mission, the DoE reported that an IAEA team conducted a three-day pre-mission workshop with stakeholders from October 15 to 17.

During the workshop comments were made on the NNEECC self-evaluation report, and the scope, work plan and logistical arrangements were defined for the upcoming mission.

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