Nuclear Fuel Is Strong Option

AS a ‘friend’ of Namibia, I take issues affecting Namibia very seriously.As a power engineering professional and former power utility operative, please allow me space in your paper to give my views on nuclear power stations, and electricity surpluses in Windhoek.

I think that there are detractors who have failed to research these issues fully looking at the SWOT analysis of the situations. Let’s look at case 1.All power stations, except solar generators, do the same thing – use one form of fuel to create energy to move a turbine, so creating electrical energy.It is without a doubt that Namibia can utilise solar energy to meet a substantial amount of its electrical and heat energy requirements.However, in most industrial applications of electricity, solar power would be insufficient and also has its own inherent problems beyond the scope of this letter.Hence, nuclear fuel as an option.So you cringe…think about this.Namibia is the world’s third largest source of uranium, thus, nuclear waste issues are not the same as they would be for a non-nuclear producing country.Namibia’s greatest challenge would be to hire and train its own nuclear power specialists.Here is where issue 2 fits in.With nuclear power, Namibia could be able to supply power to its SADC neighbours.But it would take the will of a government to carry this through.As for Windhoek, the sale of the City of Windhoek’s power facility to the Regional Electricity Authority could easily carry a rider/clause in the sale contract allowing the City to get a tariff tax on electricity accounts in the Windhoek city domain.I trust my views will be examined fully by those in power to the benefit of the nation.David Jarrett Birmingham, EnglandLet’s look at case 1.All power stations, except solar generators, do the same thing – use one form of fuel to create energy to move a turbine, so creating electrical energy.It is without a doubt that Namibia can utilise solar energy to meet a substantial amount of its electrical and heat energy requirements.However, in most industrial applications of electricity, solar power would be insufficient and also has its own inherent problems beyond the scope of this letter.Hence, nuclear fuel as an option.So you cringe…think about this.Namibia is the world’s third largest source of uranium, thus, nuclear waste issues are not the same as they would be for a non-nuclear producing country.Namibia’s greatest challenge would be to hire and train its own nuclear power specialists.Here is where issue 2 fits in.With nuclear power, Namibia could be able to supply power to its SADC neighbours.But it would take the will of a government to carry this through.As for Windhoek, the sale of the City of Windhoek’s power facility to the Regional Electricity Authority could easily carry a rider/clause in the sale contract allowing the City to get a tariff tax on electricity accounts in the Windhoek city domain.I trust my views will be examined fully by those in power to the benefit of the nation.David Jarrett Birmingham, England