Using a programme of construction of nuclear power plants (NPPs) to develop a local nuclear industrial sector (a process known as localisation) needs clear vision at the highest levels. So cautions EDF nuclear project development director Jean-Paul Chatry. (EDF is France’s State-owned electricity utility and probably the biggest NPP operator worldwide.)
“Localisation is a strategic objective for a country,” he observes. “[Government is] going to ask the vendors: What are your offers? But they are not sure that the interests of the vendors are in line with the long-term interests of the country. “Vendors are interested in short-term profits. Second, a nuclear programme needs a single champion at the government level. Government has to know what it wants, in advance. You need a vision. The vendor cannot supply the vision.”
One example of the focus and drive necessary to achieve localisation is provided by China. “I was in China 25 years ago,” he recalls. “There was a strong political will – we want to do it in China! And they are.”
Regarding South Africa, Chatry notes: “I haven’t seen [strong political will] yet.” He is concerned that, “in South Africa, there seems to be more deindustrialisation” than new industrialisation. “These factors could undermine any localisation programme.
In a recent address to the French South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chatry warned that companies wanting to be involved in the new NPP programme need to be nuclear qualified and that acquiring such qualifications typically took around two years. So they have to obtain such qualifications before any tenders are released.

The quality requirements cover every component and material sourced by the company seeking to work on an NPP. “What is important is to have good control of the supply chain,” he stresses. “Understand the quality requirements. “You need to have project management capacity, document management, design monitoring capability and the necessary software.” Partnerships with international nuclear qualified and experienced companies could be a help to local enterprises seeking to enter the sector.

An NPP is composed of three main elements – the nuclear island, the conventional island and the balance of plant. All three elements need project management, civil works, site preparation and infrastructure such as roads, water reticulation and drainage. “The percentage of localisation is quicker and higher for the balance-of-plant and non-safety classified systems, such as site buildings and ancillary systems,” states Chabry.
In fact, localisation can be divided into shallow and easy, intermediate and more difficult, and deep and expensive (the last being centred on the nuclear island and the nuclear fuel cycle). Examples of easy localisation include the earthworks and foundations, the supply of concrete and rebars, manufacture of cranes, certain types of piping, cable trays and fire-fighting equipment, intake and outfall con-struction, the erection of auxiliary buildings, substations and transmission lines.

Intermediate localisation, which would require some investment and/or time to achieve the necessary qualifications, include the manufacture of nonprimary pumps, valves, filters, pressure vessels, pipes, heat exchangers, motors, transformers, medium- and low-voltage switchgears and power cables. Deep localisation would require a lot of investment and cover such things as the reactor pressure vessel, the steam generator, heavy forgings, diesel generators, main auxiliary pumps, the polar crane (positioned above the reactor), safety and operational instrumentation and control, the main control room, fuel fabrication, spent fuel reprocessing (not all countries do this) and high-level waste storage.

“The percentage of localisation in the design and engineering [of the NPP] will increase during the project and with the number of units,” pointed out Chatry. “After construction, you have 60 years of operation. “This will also bring opportunities. The higher the localisation during construction, the higher the localisation during operations and maintenance.”