ST FRANCIS BAY – Eskom Holdings SOC Limited is in the process of concluding public meetings across the Eastern Cape to discuss a proposed nuclear power plant that could be built at Thyspunt in St Francis Bay in the Kouga Local Municipality.
The final meeting in the Eastern Cape will be held on 24 April at Newton Hall from 18:00.
Public meetings were also held in Overberg to discuss a proposed nuclear power plant that could be built at Bantamsklip in the Overstrand Local Municipality.
The proposed nuclear plant in Thyspunt has caused an uproar among locals with various issues such as safety, traffic congestion and the effect on sea life amongst others being highlighted.
According to Eskom’s 700-page Nuclear Draft Scoping Report Public Review document, the Thyspunt Nuclear Power Plant is a proposed nuclear facility located in Kouga Local Municipality, Eastern Cape, with a planned capacity of up to 5,200 megawatts.
The project features a technology-neutral design that will allow for the installation of large Pressurised Water Reactors (PWRs) and/or Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), with a design life of approximately 60 years that can be extended to 80 years.
The document states that Thyspunt was selected as the preferred site over the alternative Bantamsklip location following a comprehensive comparative assessment.
The site offers several key advantages, including Eskom’s existing ownership of the land and advanced regulatory readiness from previous environmental, geotechnical, marine, and radiological studies.
Furthermore, the location provides closer proximity to existing transmission infrastructure and load centres, which results in shorter transport routes for heavy components and reduced transmission expansion needs compared to other potential sites.
The document indicates that the plant will utilise a seawater cooling system that processes approximately 200 cubic metres per second with a temperature increase of less than 12 degrees Celsius.
The water intake system will be positioned 1,000 to 2,000 metres offshore, accessed through tunnels measuring 5 to 10 metres in diameter at approximately 30 metres depth.
The outfall system will be located about 500 metres offshore, and the entire facility will occupy an indicative site footprint of approximately 250 hectares.
The document states that the environmental specialists have conducted extensive screening and found no unmitigable environmental constraints at the Thyspunt site.
It states that most specialists either favour the site or maintain a neutral position, with no fatal flaws identified during the scoping process.
Environmental impacts are considered manageable through appropriate avoidance, minimisation, and mitigation measures.
The document mentions that the Nuclear Installation Site License (NISL) application was originally submitted in 2016 and updated in 2026.
ALSO READ: Planned nuclear plant at Bantamsklip in the Overstrand sparks objections
The documents are currently under review by the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR), with potential public review and hearings scheduled for September to November 2026.
The project targets connection feasibility before 2039, depending on the completion of regulatory approvals and servitude agreements.
The document further states that the established baseline from prior studies significantly reduces project risk and uncertainty while shortening the progression through environmental authorisation and nuclear licensing processes.
The site selection avoids the need for extensive new linear infrastructure, land acquisition, and servitudes, resulting in lower overall project costs and complexity compared to alternative locations.
ALSO READ: Overberg residents voice opposition to Bantamsklip nuclear proposal
