Business
South Korea Approves $7 Billion Nuclear Project
SEOUL — South Korea on Wednesday approved a nuclear reactor construction project for the first time since the 2011 Fukushima disaster in neighboring Japan and despite growing public pressure to curb the use of nuclear energy.
The country will spend $7 billion to build two reactors, each with a capacity of 1.4 gigawatts, by the end of 2020, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said. The approval is part of previously announced plans to build 11 reactors by 2024. These are the first reactors to be approved by South Korea since 2009.Earlier in January, the government pledged to reduce South Korea’s reliance on nuclear energy to 29% of total power supply by 2035. The previous government had a plan to increase nuclear energy supply to 41% by 2030. South Korea’s 23 commercial nuclear reactors currently generate about a third of the country’s electricity.
The ministry said South Korea, Asia’s fourth-biggest economy, will need a total of 43 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2035, up from 36GW by 2024. A ministry official said five or six additional reactors might be required for the extra 7GW power generation.
The approval Wednesday came as a 1GW nuclear reactor was shut down because of technical problems. Four of South Korea’s reactors are now closed for maintenance or safety checks.
A spokesman for Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., the country’s nuclear operator, said the cause of Wednesday’s shutdown is under investigation. “It will restart after we get a clean bill from the government, but we aren’t sure when it will be,” the spokesman said.He added the closure isn’t likely to lead to power shortages as the country currently has no problems in meeting demand.
Concerns about nuclear safety have increased in Korea following domestic scandals over nuclear safety checks and after a devastating earthquake and tsunami in neighboring Japan triggered a triple nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear-power plant three years ago.
In October, public prosecutors in South Korea indicted 100 officials and suppliers on corruption charges in the country’s biggest scandal over nuclear-reactor safety. They were charged for faking safety certificates for nuclear reactor parts. The trial is ongoing.
In Japan, uncertainty still hangs over energy policy since the Fukushima disaster. The government wants to keep nuclear power in the energy mix to ease Japan’s reliance on imported fossil fuels, but public opinion has tilted toward ending the nation’s dependence on atomic power.
Former Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa pledged last week to work to keep Japan’s nuclear reactors offline in his campaign for the coming Tokyo gubernatorial race, threatening to make the local election a referendum on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s pronuclear energy policies.
– WALLSTREET JOURNAL
The World Bank has uncovered $32 million in unaccounted funds linked to a water infrastructure project in Nigeria, raising concerns about financial mismanagement in donor-funded initiatives.
The discovery was highlighted in the bank’s recently published FY2024 Sanctions System Annual Report, which revealed significant discrepancies in the project’s financial records.
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The missing funds were earmarked to bolster Nigeria’s water infrastructure, but irregularities in accounting prompted an investigation by the World Bank’s Integrity Vice Presidency (INT).
“INT followed up on risks identified regarding a project in Nigeria’s water sector and flagged to operations the risk, which was associated with $32 million of unaccounted funds,” the report noted.
In response, the World Bank engaged with key stakeholders, including the project’s task team leader, operations manager, and financial management specialist, to recover the funds and safeguard the project’s integrity.
As part of the resolution, the Central Bank of Nigeria has been requested to reimburse $22 million. Meanwhile, $6 million remains in the project’s account to cover ongoing operational costs.
The findings underscore the importance of transparency and robust financial oversight in large-scale infrastructure projects, particularly those funded by international institutions.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued a stern warning to Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) over the illegal sale of mint Naira notes to currency hawkers.
The apex bank, in a circular signed by the Acting Director of Currency Operations, Mr. Solaja Olayemi, on Friday, emphasized that erring banks would face stringent penalties.
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As part of its efforts to curb the abuse of the national currency, the CBN announced plans to conduct nationwide checks to seize mint notes sold by hawkers.
Banks found to have released such notes will be required to pay a fine of 10% of the value of the affected cash withdrawn from the CBN on the date in question.
Subsequent violations will attract an additional penalty incrementally increased by 5%.
The CBN also reiterated its commitment to enforcing the Clean Notes Policy, warning that banks involved in hoarding, diversion, or any actions that disrupt efficient cash distribution would face appropriate sanctions.
With the festive season fast approaching, the apex bank urged DMBs to enhance internal controls to ensure transparent cash distribution.
It highlighted the need for proper utilization of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) to ensure easy access to new notes by the public.
Furthermore, the CBN disclosed plans to intensify its mystery shopping and spot checks, working closely with law enforcement agencies to clamp down on any practices that undermine the integrity of the Naira.
Nigeria’s inflation rate surged to 33.88% in October 2024, up from 32.7% in September, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Friday.
The month-on-month increase of 1.18 percentage points marks yet another strain on the nation’s economy, with transportation and food costs cited as the main drivers of inflation.
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Steep Year-on-Year Increase
Compared to October 2023, when the inflation rate stood at 27.33%, the October 2024 figure reflects a significant rise of 6.55 percentage points. This sustained upward trend highlights the worsening cost-of-living crisis for Nigerians.
Month-on-Month Breakdown
Inflation on a month-on-month basis also showed an uptick, rising to 2.64% in October 2024 from 2.52% in September. The faster rate of price increases further underscores the growing economic pressure on households.
Food Inflation Soars to 39.16%
Food inflation, a major component of the headline rate, reached 39.16% in October 2024, up from 31.52% in the same month last year.
The increase was driven by higher prices of staple items, including: Cereals and Tubers: Guinea Corn, Rice, Maize Grains, Yam, Water Yam, and Coco Yam. Oils and Fats: Palm Oil and Vegetable Oil. Beverages: Milo, Lipton, and Bourvita.
On a month-on-month basis, food inflation rose by 0.30 percentage points to 2.94% in October, up from 2.64% in September.
Price hikes in Palm Oil, Vegetable Oil, Fish, Meat, and Bread categories were major contributors.
Annual Food Inflation Hits 38.12%
The average annual food inflation rate over the past 12 months climbed to 38.12%, a sharp increase of 11.79 percentage points from the 26.33% recorded in October 2023.
The consistent rise in inflation, particularly food and transportation costs, continues to erode the purchasing power of Nigerians.
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