Govt plans nuclear energy legislation
Patience Makwele The government is drafting a national nuclear energy policy backed by legislation as it moves to harness Namibia’s uranium resources for domestic electricity generation, marking a major shift in the country’s long-term energy strategy. The development was announced by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on Tuesday during her State Visit to China after touring the […]
Patience Makwele
The government is drafting a national nuclear energy policy backed by legislation as it moves to harness Namibia’s uranium resources for domestic electricity generation, marking a major shift in the country’s long-term energy strategy.
The development was announced by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on Tuesday during her State Visit to China after touring the China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) in Guangdong Province, where the Namibian delegation was shown how uranium from Namibia is processed into nuclear fuel used to generate electricity.
According to the Head of State, the announcement signals the government’s intention to move beyond exporting uranium and explore using the country’s mineral wealth to strengthen energy security, industrialisation and value addition.
“As a producer of uranium, we cannot run away. We cannot allow our natural resources not to be used by us to the maximum and the maximum is when it’s going to create energy,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
She said the visit gave the delegation valuable insight into the nuclear fuel cycle, from uranium processing to electricity generation, reinforcing government’s resolve to develop a domestic nuclear energy programme.
