South Africa’s National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) has granted Eskom, the state-owned utility, a licence to continue operating unit 1 of the Koeberg nuclear power plant for an additional 20 years, extending its operation until 21 July 2044.
Koeberg’s Unique Position
Koeberg, with a total capacity of 1860 MWe, is the sole operating nuclear power plant on the African continent, contributing approximately 5% of South Africa’s electricity. Unit 1 began commercial operation in 1984, followed by unit 2 in 1985.
Currently, unit 1 is licensed to operate until 24 July 2024, and unit 2 until 9 November 2025. In May 2021, Eskom applied to the NNR to extend the operating lives of the two pressurized water reactors by 20 years beyond their initial 40-year lifespan.
Commitment to Safety
Eskom highlighted that it has safely operated the Koeberg plant for 40 years, investing significantly in safety enhancements and thorough maintenance to ensure continued safe operation.
In November of the previous year, unit 1 was reconnected to the South African electricity grid after being offline for nearly a year to replace its three original steam generators, a crucial step for the plant’s long-term operation.
Operational Timeline
“As the Koeberg licence will be updated to reflect an end date of 21 July 2044 for unit 1, Eskom will keep the unit running until January 2025, when it will be shut down for its scheduled refuelling and maintenance outage,” the company stated.
“Alongside our business partners, we are proud of this accomplishment that ensures Africa’s first and only nuclear power plant can continue operating safely into the future,” said Bheki Nxumalo, Eskom Group Executive for Generation.
Team Effort and Commitment
“The licence approval is a testament to our teams’ dedication to nuclear safety and Eskom’s generation recovery plan,” said Eskom Chief Nuclear Officer Keith Featherstone.
“Over the years, Koeberg has adopted and implemented safety improvements based on both French and US nuclear experiences, lowering risk levels to those typically only seen in modern nuclear power plants.”
Preparations for Unit 2
Eskom is currently implementing some prerequisites for the long-term operation of unit 2 during its ongoing outage.
“Once the current outage is completed, unit 2 will be brought back online. The NNR has stated that the decision regarding the long-term operation for unit 2 will be made later but before 9 November 2025,” the company announced.
International Review
In March 2022, the long-term operation (LTO) plan for Koeberg was reviewed by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Safety Aspects of Long Term Operation (SALTO) review mission. This mission, requested by South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, assessed the plant’s preparedness, organization, and programmes for safe LTO.