A local Cape Town article from the Cape Times called “Nuke risk for Koeberg” by Melanie Gosling an environmental writer, is used as a medium to further the debate of nuclear power plants effect on the environment, with a specific and locally based core of discussion, the Koeberg nuclear power plant. This article is about the Koeberg nuclear plant station that lies eight kilometers from the Milnerton fault line. Eskom, the state utility that supplies 95% of South Africa’s electricity, has stated that they are aware of the fault line and the dangers of it. Like an earthquake much like the one that was experienced 200 years ago which measured roughly 6.3 on the righter scale. When building Koeberg, Eskom designed the nuclear power station to be able to withstand any earthquake measuring up to 7 on the righter scale. This is done through the solid foundation and aspects that absorb horizontal and vertical movement. This is a trustful action of the safety precautions of the Cape Town nuclear power plant, although it is not fully reliable as earthquakes will always be a threat to Cape Town as it is evident through the Japan disaster that just about anything possible can happen. "Given the events in Japan, we want to assure the public that perfectly clean steam will issue from next to the reactor during the routine shut," [1]

It has been said that South Africa plans to expand their nuclear power by opening more nuclear power plants. In fact it is believed that the country has an integrated resource plan and are thinking about building about six new nuclear power plants by the year 2023. Each one of these six nuclear power plants will have the capacity of around 1600MW. Obviously they plan to show special attention to safety after learning from past disasters. “We are looking at how to draw lessons out of what has happened to Japan in terms of design and safety systems.” [2] Therefore it is obvious that South Africa is for nuclear power. In comparison to this, Germany feels otherwise, as they are currently demolishing most of their nuclear power plants, especially the ones built before 1980.

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[1] © 2011 24.Com. (14 March 2011). Steam from Koeberg 'no cause for alarm'. Available: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Steam-from-Koeberg-no-cause-for-alarm-20110314. Last accessed 24 April 2011.

[2] Admin. (9 July 2010). Why is nuclear energy experiencing a resurgence?. Available: www.rainharvest.co.za. Last accessed 16 April 2011.