Namibia has selected South African-developed nuclear technology to power a new oil refinery planned for Walvis Bay, with the project set to be driven by the Dune 7 Special Purpose Vehicle and backed by the Namibian government.
The refinery, designed to process 300,000 barrels per stream day (BPSD), will utilise the High Temperature Modular Reactor (HTMR-100) developed by Pretoria-based Stratek Global. The compact nuclear system will provide both thermal heat and electricity to the refinery.
The Walvis Bay Town Council has conditionally allocated Portion 46, a 305-hectare industrial site, for the development. The allocation is subject to environmental clearance and other statutory approvals.
Stratek Global is partnering with Namibian firm ISF Trading to implement the project. The nuclear-powered refinery forms part of a wider Green Energy Complex, which will also feature a 4,000 cubic metre per day desalination plant to meet water needs.
Stratek Global Director of Commercial Affairs, Olivia Vaughan, said Namibia is well placed to serve the wider region. “There is no reason why we cannot collaborate with Namibia to refine and beneficiate their resources to supply a region hungry for development. With a massive African market presenting itself, we believe that Namibia is well positioned to supply into the SADC region,” she said.
The HTMR-100 offers key advantages over traditional nuclear systems, particularly in terms of cooling requirements. According to Stratek Global’s Chairman, Kelvin Kemm , the reactor can operate without the need for large water bodies, making it suitable for inland and arid locations.
“Currently, worldwide, a limitation of most nuclear power plants is that they need to use the ocean, or a very large lake, for reactor system cooling. In contrast, we can put our High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor technology anywhere, we do not need large amounts of water,” he said.
“Another advantage of our small reactors is that up to ten of them can be placed on one site, and reactors can be added at any time as demand grows.”
During the construction phase, Stratek will oversee the provision of interim power and ensure regulatory compliance.
Once operational, the nuclear-powered facility is expected to boost Namibia’s energy independence while enabling greater value addition to the country’s natural resources.
