Elegant Report - Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide

ESKOM





PROPOSED PEBBLE BED MODULAR REACTOR























FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR THE PROPOSED PEBBLE BED MODULAR
REACTOR (PBMR) DEMONSTRATION PLANT AT THE ESKOM KOEBERG NUCLEAR POWER
STATION SITE IN THE WESTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA





OCTOBER 2002





(REV 03)











Prepared by: The PBMR EIA Consortium

C/o Poltech (Pty) Ltd

P O Box 7211

CENTURION

0046











EXECUTIVE SUMMARY[1]


In terms of the Environment Conservation Act (Act 73 of 1989), Eskom, South
Africa's national utility for electricity supply, submitted an application
to establish and operate a 110MegaWatt (MWe) electricity class
demonstration module Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR[2]) on the site of
the Eskom Koeberg Nuclear Power Station in the Western Cape.


The purpose of the proposed Plant is to assess the techno-economic
viability[3] of the technology for South African and international
application for electricity generation and other commercial applications.


The Plant forms part of a suite of feasible technologies to optimise
electricity supply and demand[4] for future sustainable and affordable
electricity management and to support economic growth. Since many of these
technologies are new to the South African market demonstration plants will
first be established to thoroughly understand the techno-economic
characteristics of such technology(ies).


The introduction of these technologies forms part of Eskom's Integrated
Strategic Electricity Programme- (ISEP) which will ultimately inform the
National Integrated Resource Planning Process (IRPP) as described in the
National Energy Policy White Paper.


|THE PBMR DEMONSTRATION MODULE |


The Plant consists of a combination of two well established and tested
technologies which have been combined and adapted through a modular South
African design. These two technologies are the so-called "pebble bed
modular reactor" which is based on a nuclear design with helium cooling and
a Brayton cycle gas turbine which is helium driven.


Its modular design, size and output [5] position the technology package for
commercial manufacturing and flexible integration into the energy mix.


The designers of the Plant state the following advantages:


* It has a high thermal efficiency (42%).


* The construction time frame is about 24 months.


* The building dimensions are 60m long and 37m wide and 60m high with
about 24m above ground.


* It has a high availability (limited maintenance) and reliability


* The design of the reactor and material features of the nuclear fuel
coatings make the technology radiologically safe.


* The capital investment to provide for electricity growth or
replacement of old generation plants is more affordable than for large
coal fired stations.


* It can be utilised for base load, mid merit or peak demand electricity
supply.


* It can rapidly change load rating from low levels (e.g. 50MWe) to
peaking level (110MWe plus). This is referred to as the ramping
capability of the Plant.


The global history of PBMR Technology, safety aspects and management of
radiological waste(s) especially High Level Waste is dealt with in the
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and supplemented with international
experience as summarised by Kugeler et. al. (Annexure 16 a and b).


The manufacture of nuclear fuel for the Plant as well as the associated
transport of nuclear materials forms part of a separate Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA) application by the South African Nuclear Energy
Corporation (NECSA). It is proposed that Fuel manufacture will be done on
the Pelindaba campus that is located to the west of Pretoria in North West
Province. The Transport of imported Uranium oxide is proposed to be by
road via the N3 highway from Durban Harbour (preferred harbour of import)
to Pelindaba. The manufactured fuel will follow the N1 highway down to the
PBMR demonstration module at the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station Site.


The Uranium oxide will be sourced from Russia and transported to South
Africa by sea. This part of the transport falls outside the scope of this
EIR.


|OVERALL GOVERNANCE |


The overall project (the Plant, fuel manufacture and transport) is governed
by various Acts, Regulations, Treaties and Policies under the jurisdiction
of various government departments, listed hereunder, namely:


ACTS


|No of Act |No and Date: |Departments |
|The Constitution of South |Act 108 of |Office of the State President |
|Africa |1996 | |
|Environment Conservation Act |Act 73 of |Environmental Affairs and Tourism|
| |1989 | |
|National Environmental |Act 107 of |Environmental Affairs and Tourism|
|Management Act |1998 | |
|Atmospheric Pollution |Act 45 of |Environmental Affairs and Tourism|
|Prevention Act |1965 | |
|Electricity Act |Act 41 of |Public Enterprises |
| |1987 | |
|Hazardous Substances Act |Ac 15 of 1973|Labour and Industry |
|National Heritage Resources |Act 25 of |S A Heritage Resources Agency |
|Act |1999 | |
|National Nuclear Regulator |Act 47 of |Minerals and Energy |
|Act |1999 | |
|National Roads Traffic Act |Act 94 of |Transport |
| |1996 | |
|National Water Act |Act 36 of |Water Affairs and Forestry |
| |1998 | |
|National Nuclear Energy Act |Act 46 of |Mineral and Energy |
| |1999 | |
|National Monuments Act |Act 28 of |National Monuments Council |
| |1969 | |
|Occupational Health and |Act 85 of |Health and Welfare |
|Safety Act |1993 | |
|Physical Planning Act |Act 135 of |Land Affairs |
| |1991 | |
|Promotion of Access to |Act 2 of 2000|- |
|Information Act | | |
|Seashore Act |Act 21 of |Environmental Affairs and Tourism|
| |1935 | |


REGULATIONS:


< The EIA Regulations contained in government notice 1183 of 5 September
1997 as amended.


< National Road Traffic Regulations as published in the Government Gazette
of 17 March 2000


< Regulations for the safe transport of radioactive material (IAEA No. TS-
R-1 (ST-1 revised)


TREATIES:


South Africa, as a responsible member of the world community, has become a
signatory to a variety of international agreements, dealing with issues
such as marine conservation and pollution, the atmosphere, fauna and
flora, Antartica, whaling and the conservation of wetlands. These
conventions place specific environmental impact management requirements
and obligations on the South African Government in complying to the aims
and objections of these conventions. In cases where the proposed
undertaking of an identified activity may influence or affect compliance
with these conventions or is likely to have a significant detrimental
effect across South Africa's international boundaries, special
procedures and EIA requirements may be required.


< Bonn Convention (Convention of Migratory Species of Wild Animals)
(extracted from the DEAT EIA Guideline of April 1989)


South Africa acceded to the Bonn Convention in December 1991. The
convention was a response to the need for nations to co-operate in the
conservation of animals that migrate across their borders. These
include terrestrial animals, reptiles, marine species and birds.
Special attention is paid to endangered species. No direct application
to the proposed PBMR project.


< CITES (Convention on Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora) (extracted from the DEAT EIA Guideline of April 1989)


The main objectives of this convention are the protection of endangered
species, the economic utilisation of species, monitoring the status of
species and control of illegal trade. No direct application to the
proposed PBMR project.


< Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (extracted from the DEAT EIA
Guideline of April 1989)