Yesterday, Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare appointed John Titus, Director in the Department of Energy in the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy, as Namibia’s first Nuclear Commissioner.
The appointment comes as the government strengthens the institutional and technical foundations for Namibia’s long-term nuclear power development to ensure energy security for the foreseeable future. Ngurare has also constituted the Management Committee of the Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organisation (NEPIO), which consists of Executive Directors of the Office of the Prime Minister; the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy; the Ministry of International Relations and Trade; and the Ministry of Health and Social Services, together with the Executive Director of the National Planning Commission.
As Nuclear Commissioner, Titus will serve as the central coordinator of NEPIO’s technical activities and head the Secretariat supporting the Management Committee.
He will coordinate the work of relevant technical structures and government institutions to ensure a systematic, integrated approach to developing the necessary nuclear energy infrastructure.
Moreover, the Prime Minister emphasised that Namibia’s approach will be guided by safety, responsibility, transparency and the national interest.
“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. It is not a shortcut around the rigorous processes that must govern nuclear power development. Safety, environmental protection, affordability, energy security and the long-term interests of Namibians and future generations must remain at the centre of this programme,” the Prime Minister said.
The NEPIO Management Committee is tasked with providing strategic direction, high-level policy coordination and oversight. Its composition reflects the cross-government responsibilities involved in advancing nuclear energy, including energy policy, health, international relations, national planning and the coordination of Government. These developments mark an important step in government’s efforts to establish policies, institutional, technical, regulatory as well as human-resource capacity required for the responsible introduction of nuclear power in Namibia, which is the world’s third-largest uranium producer, contributing approximately 10% of global uranium output.
As a significant uranium-producing country Namibia has, over many years, considered how its natural resource endowment could contribute more directly to national development and energy security. The nuclear energy initiative forms part of the government’s broader efforts to strengthen long-term energy security and explore the role of nuclear power alongside other sources in the country’s future energy mix. In this regard, the Office of the Prime Minister stated that the government is advancing this work in accordance with the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Milestones Approach, which provides a structured framework for developing the infrastructure and institutional capacity necessary for the introduction of nuclear power. This involves careful consideration of the full range of requirements associated with the eventual development, commissioning and safe operation of a nuclear power station.
Key areas of focus include nuclear safety and security; the legal and regulatory framework; financing and affordability; radioactive waste management; environmental protection; human-resource development; electricity-grid requirements; site selection; nuclear fuel-cycle considerations; emergency preparedness; and public and stakeholder engagement. Meanwhile, NEPIO will serve as the national coordinating mechanism, bringing together the institutions and expertise needed to address the complex, interrelated considerations of nuclear power development. Its work will support informed decision-making and establish the conditions necessary for safe, secure, and sustainable implementation.
The government will also continue to advance the nuclear power initiative in a structured and responsible manner, guided by sound evidence, international standards, and the need to safeguard the wellbeing of present and future generations.
The operationalisation of NEPIO and the appointment of the Nuclear Commissioner establish a clear institutional focal point for coordinating this work and strengthening Namibia’s engagement with national and international stakeholders as the country prepares for the potential introduction of nuclear power.
– ebrandt@nepc.com.na
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