Johannesburg – Rosatom, together with the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of South Africa, held Nuclear Energy Day in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The event, held on 1 October 2026, brought together representatives of South Africa’s nuclear industry and academic community.
The opening remarks were delivered by Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Republic of South Africa and concurrently to the Kingdom of Lesotho, Roman Ambarov, and CEO of Rosatom Central and Southern Africa, Ryan Collyer.
Coordinator of the BRICS Nuclear Energy Platform, Elsie Pule, and Executive Director for Energy and Industry at the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa), Sengiphile Simelane, also participated in the opening session.
The central event of the programme was the South African premiere of director Oliver Stone’s documentary film Atom.
The event also featured an industrial and educational seminar supported by the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba (RUDN University) and Rosatom’s core universities.
During the seminar, representatives of the National University of Science and Technology MISIS (NUST MISIS), the Obninsk Institute for Nuclear Power Engineering of the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (IATE MEPhI), Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University named after R. E. Alekseev, and RUDN University presented Russian approaches to training personnel for the nuclear industry and opportunities for industrial and educational partnerships.
They also delivered lectures on environmental issues, radiation safety, and the application of artificial intelligence in nuclear projects.
“South Africa rightfully holds a special place on the continent’s nuclear map: it has a strong engineering school, a professional industry community and a culture of safe operation of nuclear technologies,” CEO of Rosatom Central and Southern Africa Ryan Collyer stated.
“Nuclear Energy Day in Johannesburg provided a platform for a meaningful dialogue between those who are already developing the industry and those who will shape its future.
“Such dialogue helps bring together experience, knowledge and new ideas – in the interests of the energy development of South Africa and the African continent as a whole.”
Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Republic of South Africa and concurrently to the Kingdom of Lesotho Roman Ambarov noted, “Interest in nuclear energy is growing again today.
“Nuclear power plants using Russian technologies are being constructed in many countries of the Global South and other regions.
“For example, Rosatom is constructing the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in Turkey, the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant in Egypt and the Paks II Nuclear Power Plant in Hungary, while continuing to implement the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant project in India.”
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Rosatom’s regional office has been operating in Africa since 2012.
The company’s office is located in Cape Town.
The representative office actively cooperates with South Africa, taking part in efforts to strengthen the partnership over the long term.
From 2014 to 2026, Rosatom allocated 145 educational quotas for South African citizens.
Today, 33 students from South Africa are studying at Russian universities in nuclear and related fields in demand in the nuclear industry.
Eleven of them are being trained in areas identified jointly with the South African electricity utility Eskom.
More than 360 students from 23 African countries are currently studying nuclear and related disciplines at Russian universities.
Each year, around 100 places are allocated to citizens of African countries to study at Russian universities in programmes relevant to the nuclear industry.
Russia is developing cooperation with all interested countries. Major international projects continue to be implemented, with Rosatom and its divisions actively involved in this work.
