Minerals & Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has announced that SA needs to start planning now for new nuclear power capacity to come online after 2045, says a Business Day report. President Cyril Ramaphosa put nuclear expansion on the back burner after taking office in February 2018, saying a project championed by his predecessor – Jacob Zuma – was unaffordable. But senior officials in Ramaphosa’s ANC party have said SA could be open to building more nuclear capacity when the economy improves. ‘Given the long-term planning horizon for nuclear power plants, it is imperative that the planning work for the new nuclear power plants should commence now,’ Mantashe said. ‘It is crucial for SA to plan for additional nuclear capacity beyond 2045,’ Mantashe said, adding that a project is under way to extend the life of Koeberg by 20 years from the end of its designed life in 2024. ‘Koeberg demonstrates the benefits of nuclear power and gives reason to SA continuing with the nuclear expansion programme,’ Mantashe said.