Johannesburg – The National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) has licenced the 40-year-old Koeberg Nuclear Power Station Unit 1 to continue operating for another 20 years until 21 July 2044.
Situated in the Western Cape, Koeberg Unit 1 provides 930MW to the national grid.
In a statement late Monday, Eskom said Koeberg Unit 1 will join some 120 reactors worldwide that have safely continued operations beyond their initial 40-year life.
Eskom, which has operated the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station for 40 years, said it has invested in safety improvements and extensive maintenance to ensure that it continues to operate into the future.
“Together with our business partners, we are proud of the achievement that ensures that Africa’s first and only nuclear power plant can now continue to operate safely into the future,” said Bheki Nxumalo, Eskom Group Executive for Generation.
Keith Featherstone, Eskom Chief Nuclear Officer stated: “The granting of the licence is a testament to the hard work and continued commitment of our teams to nuclear safety and Eskom’s generation recovery plan.
“Over the years, Koeberg has identified and implemented safety improvements through both French and US nuclear experiences, which have reduced the risk to levels that would normally only be achieved by new, modern nuclear power plants.”
Next steps
Eskom said the Koeberg licence will be changed to reflect an end date of 21 July 2044 for Unit 1.
Eskom said it will continue to operate the unit until January 2025, when the unit will be shut down for its next scheduled “refuelling and maintenance” outage.
“The current licence for Koeberg Unit 2 only expires on 9 November 2025, and the Koeberg Power Station is implementing some of the pre-requisites for Long Term Operation in the current outage,” Eskom said.
“Once the current outage is complete, Unit 2 will be returned to service, and the NNR has stated that the decision regarding the Long Term Operation for Unit 2 will only be made at a later date, but prior to 9 November 2025.”
Commenting on the development, Energy and Electricity Minister Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has welcomed the extension of the operating life of Koeberg Nuclear Power Station Unit 1.
Dr. Ramokgopa said the decision was taken in line with the regulator’s nuclear safety imperative.
The minister described the decision as “a testament to the stellar safety record of the Koeberg facility and an affirmation of nuclear energy as an important contributor to meeting our energy security objectives”.
Dr. Ramokgopa added: “The extension of the operating life of Koeberg Nuclear Power Station Unit 1 will not only ensure the continued supply of electricity to meet the growing demand, but also contribute to our efforts in transitioning towards a cleaner, more affordable, and sustainable energy future”.
The minister wishes to thank the National Nuclear Regulator for their thorough assessment and consideration in making this decision.
“We look forward to the continued safe and reliable operation of Koeberg Nuclear Power Station Unit 1 as we work towards meeting our energy needs,” said Dr. Ramokgopa.
