South Africa - World Nuclear Outlook Report
Current operations
South Africa operates two nuclear reactors, Koeberg 1&2 near Cape Town, commissioned in 1984 and 1985 respectively. Both have received licence extensions allowing operation through the mid-2040s. There are no reactors under construction.
Table Za.1 Nuclear capacity status (as of 1 October 2026)
| Operable reactors | Operable reactors net capacity (MWe) | Operable reactors gross capacity (MWe) | Reactors under construction | Reactors under construction gross capacity (MWe) | Cumulative carbon dioxide emissions avoided 1970-2025 (cf. coal) (MtCO2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1854 | 1934 | - | - | 440 |
Nuclear policy and outlook
The government's policy direction shifted significantly in October 2025 when it approved the Integrated Resource Plan 2025, which calls for 5200 MWe of new nuclear capacity by 2039.
In June 2026 Eskom published its Final Environmental Scoping Report for a proposed nuclear plant of up to 5200 MWe. The report considered potential sites at either Thyspunt in the Eastern Cape province or Bantamsklip in the Western Cape, with Thyspunt designated as the preferred site.
Table Za.2 Contributions to total capacity projection in 2050 (gross)
| 60 year operation (MWe) | 80 year operation (MWe) | Currently under construction capacity (MWe) | Planned capacity (MWe) | Proposed capacity (MWe) | Potential capacity (MWe) | Government capacity target (MWe) | Additional capacity* required to meet government target (MWe) | Total capacity (MWe) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | 1934 | - | 1200 | 4000 | - | 5200 | 5200 | |
| *Capacity additional to operable, under construction, planned, proposed and potential capacities required to meet the government target. | ||||||||
Readiness Assessment
South Africa has an experienced operator, an established regulator and mature nuclear institutions, and IRP 2025 gives it a much clearer policy basis for new nuclear than at the previous assessment. The extension of both Koeberg units to the mid-2040s and the start of site and environmental work are positive developments. A large gap remains between the 5.2 GWe policy objective and an executable construction programme.
| Country Category | Restarter |
|---|---|
| Policy Framework Readiness | Moderate-High IRP 2025 sets a 5200 MWe target for 2039. No financing model or procurement route has been approved. |
| Institutional & Infrastructure Readiness | Moderate Eskom operates Koeberg, and the National Nuclear Regulator, Necsa and a waste management institution are in place. No reactor has been built since the 1980s, and the construction workforce and supply chain have shrunk. |
| Programme & Project Development Readiness | Moderate Eskom’s June 2026 scoping report names Thyspunt as the preferred site, with Bantamsklip as the alternative. No technology has been selected. |
| Target Achievability | Low-Moderate Delivering the first 1200 MWe by 2036 would be very challenging. Delivering 5200 MWe by 2039 is extremely unlikely. Neither has a selected technology, a construction start date or a financing route. |
