South Africa’s Safari-1 Turns 60

South Africa celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Safari-1 research reactor at Pelindaba, marking its 60th year of operation. The reactor, operated by the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa (Necsa), is currently licensed to continue until 2030. However, the government has approved the construction of a new Multipurpose Reactor to replace Safari-1, with a budget allocation of ZAR1.2bn ($66m). The new reactor is currently awaiting parliamentary approval.

Safari-1 reactor building

Necsa emphasized that while the budget allocation won't be sufficient to fund the new reactor, additional funding will be required. The reactor has been operational since 1965, undergoing power upgrades and utilizing low-enriched uranium for isotope production, as well as conducting activation analyses and neutron-based support services.

In a related update, Minister of Electricity and Energy, Kgosientso Ramokgopa, announced a national contest to choose a name for the new reactor, stressing that it should be reflective of South Africans' ownership. The Ageing Management Programme for Safari-1 will continue, focusing on life extension criteria to ensure its long-term availability. Meanwhile, the future objective for Necsa is to develop another Multi-Purpose Reactor (MPR) post-Safari-1.