Africa is pioneering nuclear innovation as it faces a dire electricity crisis

Sub-Saharan Africa faces a dire electricity crisis. Over 600 million people - more than 40% of the continent's population-lack access to electricity, a figure projected to rise to 657 million by 2030 without intervention.

The global nuclear renaissance is well underway-evidenced by companies like Oklo, which is now included in the Russell 2000 stocks list. The outlook is based on Oklo's long-term vision, particularly with the Trump Administration's increased focus on AI Revolution data center development powered by nuclear generated electricity.

The World Bank removing its ban on nuclear presents a vital opportunity for developing economies to position themselves as leaders rather than followers in advanced electricity technology.

Developing nations need not be mere consumers of advanced technology but can be innovators, exporters and active participants in providing clean and reliable electricity to billions on the planet who do not yet have access to electricity or modern amenities.

South Africa was the first country in the world to start commercializing Small Modular Reactor Technology with its Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) program, which was suspended around 2010. Having decades of experience in nuclear technology development, South African scientists and engineers are sought after all over the world for their knowledge, practical approach to complex engineering projects, and meticulous attention to detail, legacies of the PBMR program.

After the PBMR project was put on indefinite suspension in 2010, the expertise that remained in South Africa continued developing Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology, the High Temperature Modular Reactor (HTMR), as a home-grown solution - a testament to both the dedication of the technical teams and the commercial viability they saw in the technology. This grouping of pioneering technologists and business strategists in South Africa formed Stratek Global as an umbrella organization to bring advanced technologies and combined power mix solutions to market. Stratek Global has recently secured landon which it plans to build a small modular reactor.

Game-changing technology for developing economies

SMRs represent a paradigm shift in nuclear electricity design. The South African HTMR is specifically engineered to address the unique challenges facing Africa and other developing regions, like vast land areas and lack of water resources. As an example, the HTMR-100's turbine condenser design uses radiator cooling and the reactor's primary circuit is helium cooled - a crucial innovation for a continent where many regions lack access to large inland water bodies.

The smaller size of SMRs thermal and electrical capacity makes the technology an ideal solution for decentralized power generation, addressing one of Africa's most pressing infrastructure challenges. Instead of requiring thousands of kilometers of new transmission lines - like the 14,000 km needed to unlock South Africa's Northern Cape solar developments - SMRs can be positioned close to their consumers: mines, smelters, municipalities, and industrial facilities.

This proximity advantage extends beyond simple logistics. By placing generation near consumption, SMRs can free up existing grid capacity, alleviate congestion issues and provide reliable baseload power. For developing economies struggling with electricity security, this represents a path to industrial growth without the massive upfront infrastructure investments typically required.

The fuel supply chain is the TRISO (Tri-structural ISOtropic) coated particles that are a type of nuclear fuel kernel encased in multiple layers of protective materials. These particles are designed to contain radioactive fission products even under extreme conditions, making them highly robust and suitable for advanced reactor designs. The US Department of Energycalls TRISO particles "the most robust fuel on earth."

TRISO fuel required to fuel advanced nuclear technologies have been completely designed and manufactured in South Africa.