Photo: Fabrice Dimier/BloombergCape Town: South Africa’s controversial push to build a fleet of new nuclear plants suffered a setback on Wednesday after the high court set aside the procurement process and a pre-agreement with Russia. The expansion plan is opposed by environmental and clean-energy groups, while some economists have said the country’s ailing economy cannot afford to build new nuclear plants whose costs are estimated around 1 trillion rand ($76 billion). Judge Lee Bozalek said any request for proposal or request for information to kick-start the procurement process was set aside as well as a deal to cooperate with Russia on the plan. “The minister’s decision on or about 10 June 2015 to table the Russian IGA before parliament... Is unconstitutional and unlawful and it is reviewed and set aside,” he said. Both Eskom and South Africa’s department of energy declined to comment on the ruling.

Source: Mint April 26, 2017 12:45 UTC