South Africa’s Koeberg nuclear power plant is the only operational nuclear power station on the African continent. Its Unit 2 has recently completed maintenance and the application to extend its operational lifespan by up to 20 years is in process. Last year, Unit 1 was licensed to continue operating until 2044. Many African governments, along with the African Union, view nuclear energy as a potential driver of socio-economic development. Thus, nearly two dozen African nations are exploring nuclear power as a solution to their energy needs.
While nuclear energy is attracting a lot of interest, nuclear safety remains a concern not only among the public but also among many experts, especially with the recent experiences of the Russian occupation of two critical nuclear facilities in Ukraine – Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plants. South Africa and Ukraine have demonstrated leadership in nuclear safety. South Africa dismantled its entire nuclear arsenal in 1991, the first country to do so voluntarily, and Ukraine relinquished its nuclear weapons in 1994 under the Budapest Memorandum.
Before Russia’s full-scale invasion nearly three years ago, Ukraine relied on four nuclear power plants for up to 60% of its electricity. In 2022, Russian troops seized control of Chernobyl and, later in the same year, also of Zaporizhzhia, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. Chernobyl is in the process of decommissioning following the 1986 disaster caused by a reactor meltdown. The radioactive contamination from the Chernobyl accident had global implications, with fallout also reaching North Africa. The area around Chernobyl remains heavily contaminated. The Chernobyl accident transformed nuclear safety legislation at the time; it exposed more than 8.4 million people to radiation and proved that nuclear accidents know no boundaries. Chernobyl was occupied for 36 days in February 2022, during which time radiation levels spiked to 20 times above normal.
The situation at Zaporizhzhia is even more alarming with the destruction in June 2023 of supporting infrastructure such as the Kakhovka Dam, vital for reactor cooling; the nearing end of the fuel’s operational life and inability to renew it without Ukrainian experts being able to work on it; and the documented human rights violations that includes threats towards and torture of the Ukrainian personnel. While Zaporizhzhia’s reactors are cold, the potential for a disaster remains high. Russian authorities have expressed their intention to restart the plant, despite four of the six reactors relying on Westinghouse technology that Russian engineers are not trained to handle.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has taken steps to enhance nuclear safety since the start of the invasion. It has sent a permanent monitoring mission to Zaporizhzhia and other nuclear power plants in Ukraine. But Russian authorities and Rosatom do not provide full unrestricted access of IAEA inspectors to all equipment, which limits the ability of the agency to confirm compliance. The monitoring mission only has access to the areas that the Russian authorities allow them to monitor at Zaporizhzhia.
The IAEA mission regularly documents violations of IAEA safety principles, for example, troops, military equipment and weapons on-site, lack of personnel rotation and compromised monitoring and reporting processes, but has no authority to stop these violations. In September 2022, the IAEA Board of Governors adopted a resolution calling on Russia to cease all actions against nuclear facilities in Ukraine and to immediately withdraw its forces from Zaporizhzhia, returning control to Ukrainian authorities. Subsequently, in July 2024, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution demanding that the Russian Federation immediately return full control of Zaporizhzhia to Ukrainian authorities.
This resolution was supported by several African countries, including Ghana, Kenya and Zambia, reflecting their commitment to nuclear safety and the sovereignty of nations. South Africa abstained from the vote.
The occupation of Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia by Russian forces revealed significant gaps in international laws meant to safeguard such sites during military conflicts. Nuclear power facilities can quickly become targets during conflicts, endangering millions of lives. In response to these escalating risks, South African and Ukrainian experts developed policy recommendations aimed at safeguarding nuclear facilities in Africa and globally.
These recommendations were presented during the African Union’s coordination meeting in Accra in July 2024. A key takeaway is the urgent need to strengthen international law to prevent military actions against nuclear installations. Although the international community recognised these risks in the 1990s, particularly in resolution GC(XXXIV)/RES/533 of the IAEA General Conference, there has been a lack of political will to clearly define what constitutes a military attack on such facilities. Addressing this issue is not just a matter of national security but of global safety. The El Dabaa nuclear power station in Egypt, with a planned 4.8 gigawatt capacity by 2030, underscores the urgent need for Africa to legislate nuclear safety. Its proximity to conflict zones highlights the importance of safeguarding nuclear facilities to prevent potential threats and ensure regional security.
The African continent has already demonstrated its leadership and commitment to non-proliferation through initiatives such as the Pelindaba Agreement, which established a nuclear-weapon-free zone across the continent. South Africa’s leadership in the G20 presents a valuable opportunity to advance these efforts, leveraging its historical commitment to nuclear safety and its influence on the international stage to drive meaningful change. As members of the IAEA Board of Governors, South Africa and Ukraine are well-placed to advocate for reforms to enhance the safety of the world’s nuclear facilities. In the 1990s, decisive action to strengthen regulations was lacking despite recognised dangers to nuclear safety. Today, with the recent experience of occupation of nuclear energy facilities such as Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia, the urgency to bolster international laws is clear, but will this translate into sustained political will? With South Africa’s role in the G20 and the IAEA, can key players drive the necessary reforms?
This article was first published in the Mail & Guardian.
