The possibilities of a recurring drought problem in the country cannot be disregarded. Climatic conditions are changing and over the past 3 years we experienced the worst drought in 30-years due to the El Nino effect covering five provinces. This has devastating impact on agricultural output and the local economies of the affected areas.

Coastal areas like Mossel Bay and Cape Town have also suffered from extended drought, despite their proximity to sea water. Consideration should therefore be given to deploying energy technologies for purposes of desalination, provided they have low variable costs that would not render the desalination process unaffordable. Technologies like wind and solar, or SMR with the requisite heating, are suitable in this regard.