A man cycles towards Doel's nuclear plant, northern Belgium August 20, 2014. Two Belgian nuclear reactors owned by GDF-Suez unit Electrabel may remain offline until spring and may need to be halted permanently, Belgian state broadcaster VRT reported
A man cycles towards Doel's nuclear plant, northern Belgium August 20, 2014. Two Belgian nuclear reactors owned by GDF-Suez unit Electrabel may remain offline until spring and may need to be halted permanently, Belgian state broadcaster VRT reported on Tuesday. The Belgian nuclear regulator ordered production to be stopped at the 1,008 megawatt Tihange 2 reactor and the 1,006 megawatt Doel 3 reactor in 2012 after finding indications of cracks in their core tanks. Electrabel was not immediately available for comment. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

France is set to construct eight nuclear reactors in South Africa after signing a $US50 billion ($A54.10 billion) agreement early this week.

The deal likewise stated skills development, localisation of nuclear technology as well as research and development in South Africa, according to World Nuclear News. South Africa currently has two operating nuclear power plants. Located at Koeberg, these were built by Areva, which will also build the same new eight nuclear reactors. The existing facilities have been operating since the mid-1980s.

South Africa's long-term plans, contained in its 2010 Integrated Electricity Resource Plan, heavily mentioned nuclear energy as its tool of choice as it works to achieve a sustainable energy mix. The country needs up to 9.6 GWe of new nuclear capacity by 2030 as it works towards modernization. South Africa has allocated at least $81 million early this year to be spent on nuclear research and development.

South Africa is heavily dependent on coal for generating electricity, but it cannot keep up with demands. The lack of a stable energy supply has held back the economic growth of the continent's most industrialised nation. South African President Jacob Zuma, in his June 2014 State of the Nation Address, said his administration will prioritise laying down energy security and thus pursue an energy mix including coal, nuclear, shale gas and renewable energy.

Energy Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson said the expansion of SA's nuclear programme will "yield tremendous benefit for the country from mining, beneficiation, manufacturing, industrialisation, skills development and power generation" but without exacerbating global warming because it only has less greenhouse gas emissions.

In September, the country also signed with Russia a US$50 billion (A$54.1 billion) deal for eight nuclear reactors by 2030. A deal with China of the same nature is also expected to be signed in November, according to Bloomberg. A plan with Japan is also being worked out.

South Africa had stipulated it will sign agreements with other global nuclear vendor countries in order to achieve its goal of 9.6 GWe of new nuclear capacity.

"South Africa today, as never before, is interested in the massive development of nuclear power, which is an important driver for the national economy growth," Joemat-Pettersson earlier said.