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Nuclear

Nuclear refers to the energy sector based on atomic fission, in which the nuclei of heavy elements such as uranium or plutonium are split to release large amounts of heat that is then used to generate electricity. Nuclear power stations typically use pressurised water or boiling water reactors to transfer this heat to steam turbines. The technology provides baseload electricity with very low carbon emissions during operation, making it a significant component of low-carbon energy strategies in many countries. Nuclear power accounts for about 10% of global electricity generation and a larger share in nations such as France, which relies on nuclear for the majority of its supply. The sector encompasses uranium mining and enrichment, reactor construction and operation, spent-fuel management, and decommissioning. Nuclear energy is capital-intensive, with long lead times for new plants, and faces public and regulatory scrutiny over safety, waste disposal, and proliferation risks. Recent developments include small modular reactors and interest in nuclear as a stable complement to intermittent renewable energy sources. Water consumption for cooling is a key operational requirement, linking nuclear facilities to water-stress considerations in site selection and design. The industry is regulated by national agencies and international bodies including the International Atomic Energy Agency. Nuclear power has been in commercial use since the 1950s, with periods of expansion followed by slowdowns after major accidents at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima.

Nuclear Updates


Magazine Cover Image
Demand for electricity to outpace economic growth and reshape investment
19th June 2026 By: Schalk Burger

Global electricity demand is set to outpace economic growth as part of a broader trend up to 2030, with electricity consumption projected to grow at least two-and-a-half times as fast as overall... 


Magazine Cover Image
Demand for electricity to outpace economic growth and reshape investment
19th June 2026 By: Schalk Burger

Global electricity demand is set to outpace economic growth as part of a broader trend up to 2030, with electricity consumption projected to grow at least two-and-a-half times as fast as overall... 


IEA executive director Fatih Birol
Countries prioritising domestic energy options amid ‘largest-ever energy security crisis’
12th June 2026 By: Terence Creamer

Countries are increasingly prioritising domestic energy resources as they seek to reduce their reliance on imported fuels in response to what the International Energy Agency (IEA)  is describing as... 


IEA executive director Fatih Birol
Countries prioritising domestic energy options amid ‘largest-ever energy security crisis’
28th May 2026 By: Terence Creamer

Countries are increasingly prioritising domestic energy resources as they seek to reduce their reliance on imported fuels in response to what the International Energy Agency (IEA)  is describing as... 


James Mackay
Opinion: Unpacking Minister Ramokgopa's electricity sector plan for the year ahead
25th May 2026

In this article, Energy Council of South Africa CEO James Mackay provides a breakdown of the budget vote presented by Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa in Parliament earlier... 


Africa Energy Indaba 2026 Delivers Presidential Vision and Concrete Commitments – Momentum Builds for 2027 Edition
19th May 2026 By: Dimpho Madiba

The 18th Africa Energy Indaba (3–5 March 2026) concluded with strong continental participation and tangible outcomes that underscore its position as Africa’s premier platform for energy investment,... 


The grid needs more wires, more transformers and more storage
Oil persists, coal declines, renewables increase by 2040, but global warming to rise through to 2100, says Bain&Co
17th April 2026 By: Schalk Burger

Even under the low-carbon scenario, modelled by consulting firm Bain & Co in its 'Global Energy and Materials Outlook 2026' report, fossil fuel supply constitutes 52% of global primary energy... 


Cresco Project Finance Energy Strategy advisory partner Dominic Goncalves
Cresco warns of potential energy security risk if diesel supply for OCGT is constrained
10th April 2026 By: Schalk Burger

South Africa's power utility Eskom, which uses diesel in its open-cycle gas turbine (OCGT) generators to meet peak demand, may have to start implementing Stage 1 or 2 loadshedding in a scenario of... 


A hydropower plant
Water intensity forces power sector to advance cooling technologies
2nd April 2026 By: Creamer Media Reporter

Water stress is forcing the global energy sector to redesign cooling infrastructure to manage declining water availability, research published by Wood Mackenzie reveals. Thermoelectric, nuclear and... 


Solar panels
Electricity demand to grow to 2030, while 2 500 GW of projects are stalled
6th February 2026 By: Schalk Burger

Global power demand is set to grow by 3.6% a year on average over the rest of this decade, with electricity generation from renewables, natural gas and nuclear all expanding to keep pace, says... 


Policy uncertainty could lead to future energy  transition funding gap in South Africa – report
Policy uncertainty could lead to future energy transition funding gap in South Africa – report
21st November 2025 By: Terence Creamer

A new study that assesses the investments required to achieve electricity security in South Africa by 2050 while also meeting the country’s decarbonisation goals has reaffirmed that the least-cost... 


Policy uncertainty could lead to future energy transition funding gap in South Africa – report
Policy uncertainty could lead to future energy transition funding gap in South Africa – report
5th November 2025 By: Terence Creamer

A new study that assesses the investments required to achieve electricity security in South Africa by 2050 while also meeting the country’s decarbonisation goals has reaffirmed that the least-cost... 


Chris Yelland
Opinion: Risks identified in Eskom’s 2026–2030 system adequacy outlook require a critical balancing act
3rd November 2025

In this article, EE Business Intelligence MD Chris Yelland writes that Eskom's 'Medium-Term System Adequacy Outlook 2026–2030' report portrays a power system entering a delicate transition and that... 


Photo of Terence Creamer
Shocked, not surprised
31st October 2025 By: Terence Creamer

The latest edition of the Integrated Resource Plan for electricity, dubbed IRP 2025, has been Gazetted and its contents have not really come as any surprise. But that does not suggest it does not... 


SA's changing energy mix
SA's changing energy mix
24th October 2025

South Africa plans to add 105 000 MW of new generation capacity to the grid by 2039, according to Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, the minister of electricity and energy, when he announced the release of the... 


Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa
Minister’s ‘State will lead, market will follow’ electricity assertion raises questions
20th October 2025 By: Terence Creamer

Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s insistence that the State will lead and the market follow in the procurement of new electricity generation, while simultaneously... 


Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa
IRP 2025 raises gas load factor to 50% as adjustments are also made to accommodate nuclear and ‘clean coal’
19th October 2025 By: Terence Creamer

South Africa’s latest Cabinet-approved Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2025) includes several policy adjustments that deviate from the least-cost scenario modelled, including a raising of the minimum... 


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