A total of R9.244 billion has been invested in the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor project, over the last decade, according to the Public Enterprises Minister Barbara Hogan.

Hogan told Narend Singh of the Inkatha Freedom Party that the government has contributed R7.419 billion or 80.3% of the amount.

Giving a written reply to a Parliamentary question on Wednesday the minister added that the integrated resource plan, which is expected to be published by the end of the year, will indicate whether South Africa will have nuclear technology as part of its energy mix.

"The PBMR programme was instrumental in ensuring that South Africa retained a substantial nuclear skills base and associated industries," she said,

"which will stand the country in a good stead should the country decide to pursue a substantial nuclear build programme."

The minister told her questioner that cabinet's decision to move the project to a care and maintenance mode aims at the protection of the investment made by protecting and preserving intellectual property and assets created in PBMR; at retaining and developing nuclear skills currently in PBMR for use in the South African nuclear industry; and at protecting South Africa's (Government and nuclear industry) international reputation in the nuclear sector.