Nuke deal: DA to request SCOPA probe on appointment of Russian-linked consultants
28 June 2016
The DA will be requesting our colleagues in the Standing Committee on Public Appropriations (SCOPA) to call for an investigation into the appointment of a Russian-linked company, WorleyParsons, without public consultation, especially in light of the adamant denials by the Minister of Energy, Tina Joemat-Peterrsson, that the Russians have not been secretively awarded the nuclear deal.
WorleyParsons have direct links with Russian nuclear firm Rosatom. They are involved with Rosatom on projects in Turkey, Jordan, Russia, Armenia, Bulgria and Egypt, providing pre-construction consulting services, engineering and technical advice. In each of these cases, Rosatom has ended up as the preferred bidder. There are a further two projects in Saudi Arabia and Poland that Rosatom are looking to get their hands on, with WorleyParsons as the pre-delivery consultants.
This appointment further strengthens the argument that the Department of Energy have already decided and signed an agreement with Russia on the nuclear build programme, despite all the protestations to the contrary.
It is concerning that this appointment comes on the back of a court case between Earthlife/South Africa Faith Communities Environmental Initiative and the Department of Energy regarding the legality of the intergovernmental agreement. The evidence comes in the form of a state law adviser that stated that the draft agreement intended and was understood as creating a firm commitment for Russia to build the nuclear plants.