Breaking…
The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) has been paid the first R1.7 million for a contract to manufacture nuclear reactor components for Russia.
The first items fabricated at Necsa’s Pelindaba site, outside Pretoria has been delivered to Russian company, Tenex, which is a subsidiary of Russian nuclear power company, Rosatom.
Necsa is the only company in South Africa that currently is internationally licensed to manufacture components to nuclear grade standards for nuclear reactor applications.The first payment represents about a quarter to a third of the total contract.
Chairman of Necsa, Dr Kelvin Kemm is upbeat about the development, saying Necsa he is pleased and proud to continue to fabricate and export nuclear assemblies internationally. “We are pleased to be able to build on the nuclear technology exchange agreements which have been signed with Russian nuclear companies.”
CEO of Necsa, Phumzile Tshelane, who is equally delighted about this development,
expressed his confidence in local ability and said: “I know there are many South African companies, large and small, which have facilities and systems operating at or near nuclear grade standard. Necsa is keen to work with them to expand South Africa’s nuclear fabrication capabilities to optimise the benefit from the major new nuclear build opportunities which are around the corner.”
Under the US ASME system of international quality standards, Necsa is certified to design and manufacture components and assemblies for international nuclear applications. Systems such as ASME are internationally accepted as proof of the quality standard as required for nuclear applications.
Tshelane said: “It was a long hard road to get the N-Stamp or ASME certification for design and manufacture but it has been worth it. I want to congratulate the Necsa technical staff members who show such pride and dedication in their work. Without such an attitude world class work is not possible.”
Necsa is currently the second largest shareholder in the world in the international market for nuclear medicine. Necsa exports nuclear medicine to some 60 countries.
Nuclear medicine intentionally has a short shelf life of about a week, so a most important factor in its export is the efficiency of an effective high speed international distribution.
- Edited by Bev Mortimer, St Francis Chronicle
St Francis Chronicle 