South Africa poised to issue tender to build six new nuclear reactors - report.

Text of report by South African newspaper Mail & Guardian on 7 October

[Report by Lionel Faull: Battle for South Africa's R1-Trillion Nuclear Contract]

South Africa is poised to issue the largest tender in its history - an estimated one-trillion-rand contract to build six new nuclear reactors by 2030.

The energy department submitted its nuclear tender proposal to the Cabinet last month, and Energy Minister Dipuo Peters has been quoted as saying it will finalise the proposal before the end of this year. Bidding will begin next year.

Dwarfing the arms deal, which is worth a mere R70-billion, the contract could account for as much as 20 per cent of the world's total nuclear spending over the next two decades.

Five companies - from France, China, South Korea, …