Madam Speaker, in 2005, the US launched the Next Generation Nuclear programme, which focused on development of high- temperature gas reactor technology through public-private partnerships for use in industrial processes, as opposed to electricity. The current annual funding of the Next Generation Nuclear programme is around US$75 million or R500 million.
The roll-out of this programme led to a competitive bid for early studies in 2006. The Pebble Bed Modular Reactor, PBMR, was an early participant and its technology was the most successful, relative to general atomics design used by other designers. The Pebble Bed Modular Reactor is formally involved in pre-licensing processes with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. It is the only gas reactor programme with this status.
The industrial application of pebble bed technology holds much promise for South Africa as a world leader in this area and for humanity in its quest to find alternative sources of energy. Ke a leboga. [Thank you.]