Mini nuclear stations to plug S. Africa’s power gaps

Possible option: A file photo of the Koeberg nuclear power station near Cape Town. South Africa intends to extend the life of the plant by another 20 years. — AFP

Pretoria: South African nuclear scientists want to build a new generation of mini nuclear reactors, both to plug holes in their own country’s blackout-plagued grid and to build an export industry for the future.

One company has designed a gas-cooled small modular reactor that it says can be installed within three years on a site smaller than a football field and safely produce enough power for a city.