Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has appointed John Titus as Namibia’s Nuclear Commissioner as the government moves ahead with preparations to assess the introduction of nuclear power into the country’s energy mix.
Titus, who serves as a Director in the Department of Energy under the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy, will oversee the technical programme of the Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organisation (NEPIO) and head its Secretariat.
The appointment forms part of government efforts to establish the institutional and technical structures required to evaluate the feasibility of developing nuclear power in Namibia.
Ngurare has also established the NEPIO Management Committee (NMC), comprising Executive Directors from five government institutions, to provide policy coordination and strategic oversight of the proposed nuclear energy programme.
The institutions represented are the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy, the Ministry of International Relations and Trade, the Ministry of Health and Social Services, and the National Planning Commission.
According to the Office of the Prime Minister, the committee will coordinate Namibia’s nuclear energy preparations in line with guidelines established by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Its responsibilities will include assessing nuclear safety and security requirements, financing arrangements, radioactive waste management, environmental protection, human-resource development and public engagement.
The committee will also examine the technical and institutional requirements necessary for Namibia to pursue nuclear power generation.
Ngurare said the government’s approach was aimed at building the capacity required to support the country’s long-term energy needs.
“The decision to support a long-term nuclear power programme is a decision to invest in the institutional, technical and human capacity required to prepare Namibia for its future energy needs,” he said.
The latest appointments come as Namibia considers ways to derive greater economic value from its substantial uranium resources, including the possibility of using nuclear energy to support domestic electricity generation.
Although Namibia is a major uranium producer, the country has yet to develop nuclear power generation facilities.
The government views the potential introduction of nuclear energy as part of broader efforts to strengthen long-term energy security, promote mineral beneficiation and value addition, and reduce reliance on external electricity supplies.
However, the establishment of the committee and appointment of a Nuclear Commissioner do not constitute a final decision to construct a nuclear power plant.
The preparatory process will assess the technical, financial, regulatory and environmental requirements before the country can determine whether to proceed with a nuclear power programme.
