However, its major findings remain unchanged.

    These are that two of the proposed five sites mooted for thepossible construction of South Africa's next conventional nuclearpower station should be dropped from consideration at this stage(the Brazil and Schulpfontein sites, both on the West Coast in theNorthern Cape province), while the other three sites - Koeberg(Duynefontein), Bantamsklip (near Pearly Beach) and Thyspunt (nearCape St Francis) should be further investigated.

    The anti-nuclear power lobby has long taken issue with claims byproponents of nuclear power that it is an essentially cleantechnology that produces very few greenhouse gas emissions, whichare the main cause of human-induced climate change.

    The anti-nukes argue that, if the full nuclear energy cycle istaken into account - from mining the uranium all the way through tothe disposal of nuclear waste - it cannot be considered clean.

    However, the final scoping report now states otherwise.

    Its executive summary includes this additional text: "Over the fulllife cycle - from mining of the uranium, iron ore and otherminerals, manufacture of the components and construction of thepower station, operation and maintenance of the power stationthrough to decommissioning of the station and the management anddisposal of waste - nuclear power emits less than 11 grams ofcarbon equivalent per kilowatt hour.

    "This is the same order of magnitude as wind and solar power,including construction and component manufacturing, and two ordersof magnitude below (i.e. one hundredth of) the average for Coal,oil and natural gas.

    "Nuclear power thus has the potential to make a substantialcontribution to sustainable development and a significantcontribution to reducing South Africa's greenhouse gas emissions.

    "Due to South Africa's rich resources of uranium, it makes sensefor Eskom to utilise this energy source."

    The scoping summary also discourages the reliance on coal-firedpower stations saying this would not help in reducing greenhousegases, nor meet the vast electricity needs of the country,especially in the coastal areas.

    "Renewable forms of energy are also under investigation and arelikely to be constructed."

    It then continues with the original wording of the draft report:"At present, however, the identified renewable forms of energy -for example, wind and solar - are inadequately developed to providelarge-scale power generation facilities that can supply a reliablebase-load and easily integrate into the existing power network inSouth Africa."

    The final report is available at many public libraries, includingthe main Cape Town library (re-opening on September 1), Milnerton,Table View, Atlantis, Hermanus and Gansbaai, as well as from theCape Town offices of Arcus Gibb at 14 Kloof Street, and online atwww.eskom.co.za/eia under the "Nuclear 1" link.

    Interested and affected parties can submit comments at any stage ofthe EIA process.

    This article was originally published on page 7 of Cape Argus on August 12, 2008