South Africa’s Sebata Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with US–based Westinghouse Electric Company to help develop the nuclear power sector in the country
In a statement, Westinghouse Electric Company managing director for France, Benelux and South Africa, François Harari, said that through the MoU, the company would aim to develop engineering and manufacturing capabilities, and safety and health measures in the nuclear power sector in South Africa.
Sebata Group chairman Matome Edmund Modipa remarked, “This partnership is aligned with our growth strategy in positioning Sebata Group as a premier safety and health, engineering, management consulting and nuclear company in Africa.”
In March 2011, the South African government had announced that it was working on a nuclear power programme, through which it will aims to add 9.6GW of nuclear power to the national grid by 2030.
South Africa currently houses two nuclear power plants that are licensed by Westinghouse Electric Company. Westinghouse Electric Company, part of Japan’s Toshiba Corporation, is a supplier of nuclear power plant components and technologies, while Sebata Group is an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) company.
Earlier this year, Westinghouse Electric Company also signed an agreement with the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) to research local fabrication capabilities for fuel assembly components in the country.
