South Africa officially closed the program for nuclear power plant construction. In its framework about 9,6 GW were supposed to construct, the potential volume of orders could make about $50 billion State corporation "Rosatom" was considered as the key applicant for projects: the intergovernmental agreement with Moscow stipulated even concrete platforms for the nuclear power plant. But in 2017 the nuclear program South Africa was suspended by court that, according to sources of newspaper "Kommersant", was an element of political struggle against the then president Dzheykob Gedleyikhlekisa Zuma. Now the country leaders officially connect refusal of the nuclear power plant with shortage of means in economy.
Within BRICS Summit in Johannesburg on July 27 the president South Africa Cyril Ramafosa declared that the country refused the program of developments nuclear power, having referred to financial difficulties:" Our economy not at that level" — also added that the position South Africa can change if growth is outlined in economy. According to mister Ramafosy, within the summit he reported about it and to Vladimir Putin who "reacted rather quietly".
Cyril Ramafosy's Statement actually closes the market which was considered as one of the most perspective few years ago for world nuclear branch. In 2013 Ministry power engineering specialistsSouth Africa brought in the program of developments power engineering specialists of 9,6 GW of the nuclear power plant. The only a few number of the states has so large-scale plans for peace atom, generally at safe economies of developing countries, such as China, India, Saudi Arabia, Turkey. So, the nuclear program South Africa is equivalent two four-block nuclear power plants like nuclear power plants "Akkuyu" or "Kudankulam" which State corporation "Rosatom" builds to Turkey and India respectively. While at South Africa there is only one nuclear power plant "Kuberg" with power less than 2 GW constructed still at an apartheid.
Readiness South Africa to build the nuclear power plant drew to the country attention of all suppliers — United States of America, France, China, Russian Federation and South Korea. State corporation "Rosatom" managed to promote slightly further competitors, having signed the detailed intergovernmental agreement in which platforms of stations were stipulated and opportunity to construct all 9,6 GW. Proceeding from similar projects of state corporation abroad, orders can be estimated at $40-50 billion. In 2016 the South African Eskom (the customer of the nuclear power plant) opened collecting offers, but in the spring of 2017 the High court South Africa according to complaint ecologists cancelled the program and the most part of intergovernmental agreements with foreigners because of procedural violations.
Formally South Africa could renew the nuclear program, having anew carried out coordination and having re-signed agreements. But already then sources of newspaper "Kommersant" noticed that the ecological component is secondary as behind complaint against the nuclear power plant there is a political factor: claim in High court was a fight element against the president Dzheykob Gedleyikhlekisa Zuma. In the winter of 2017/18 fight came to the end with success: the president was pushed aside from the management of African National Congress (leading party South Africa), and in February conceded presidential post to Cyril Ramafose.
It is far not the first case when plans for a construction of the nuclear power plant are cancelled because of political factors. As an example it is possible to bring refusal Bulgaria from contracts with State corporation "Rosatom" on nuclear power plant construction to "Henbane" in 2012, after coming to power of westernized forces and a suspension in 2010 tenders on nuclear power plant "Temelin" construction into Czech Republic.
"Rosatom" a situation with the nuclear program South Africa do not make comments onB State corporation "Rosatom", but according to less large-scale projects. For example, Rusatom Healthcare signed the agreement with local nuclear corporation NECSA within BRICS Summit about cooperation on nuclear not power technologies, generally on nuclear medicine.
"Decisions on nuclear power to South Africa more are defined today by reasons of an economic order — the senior research associate of the Center of the African researches of Institute of general history of the Russian Academy of Sciences Shcherbakov Nicholas is sure. — Not because of deficiency of means or risk of serious crisis but because investments are now presented to nuclear power not by the most effective, especially against environmental and social problems". The expert reminded that else in 1989 South Africa curtailed the program of the nuclear weapon — it is the only case when the government voluntary refused further work on development nuclear weapons which at them actually existed.