JOHANNESBURG – South Africa will bring together government officials, energy industry leaders, international experts and investors next week for a joint nuclear and clean energy conference aimed at accelerating the implementation of the country’s energy policies and strengthening its electricity infrastructure.
The Department of Electricity and Energy (DEE), in partnership with Eskom, will host the South African Nuclear and Clean Energy Conference on 10 and 11 November 2026 in Gauteng.
The event will take place under the theme: “Transitioning from Policy to Execution: Powering a Secure, Sustainable and Industrialised Future”.
The joint gathering combines the DEE Nuclear Conference with the fourth Eskom Clean Energy Conference on one platform, while maintaining the separate objectives and focus areas of both events.
According to the department, the conference will provide an opportunity for policymakers, industry executives, international specialists and other stakeholders to examine how South Africa can translate its energy policies and strategic plans into practical projects and coordinated action.
A major area of discussion will be South Africa’s nuclear energy programme, including the policy, regulatory, financing and technological frameworks needed to advance its development. Participants will also consider investment opportunities, international partnerships, industrialisation and the skills required to support the country’s nuclear ambitions.
Emerging nuclear technologies, particularly Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), will feature in the discussions, alongside opportunities to strengthen Africa’s broader nuclear development agenda.
The fourth Eskom Clean Energy Conference will be guided by South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2025, with discussions covering electricity generation, emissions reduction and the development of emerging energy technologies.
Other key subjects will include electricity grid expansion, regional power interconnections, energy affordability, private sector participation and the changing structure of the electricity market.
The department said the combined conferences would create an opportunity for government and industry stakeholders to examine the investment, infrastructure, technology and industrialisation requirements of South Africa’s changing electricity system.
The platform is also intended to encourage stronger cooperation across the nuclear and clean energy value chains, bringing together stakeholders involved in energy generation, infrastructure development, financing and technology.
The 2026 gathering builds on discussions held during the 2025 Nuclear and Clean Energy conferences, which contributed to South Africa’s energy engagements under its G20 presidency.
The previous Nuclear Conference was held at ministerial level in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Discussions included a Coal to Nuclear study examining South Africa’s longer-term energy transition and the potential role of advanced nuclear technologies, including Small Modular Reactors.
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