Major Eskom power station shut down
Eskom has confirmed that it has shut down Koeberg Nuclear Power Station following issues with the station’s turbines.
In a statement, Eskom said it had safely taken Koeberg Nuclear Power Station’s Unit 1 offline following a turbine trip early Thursday morning, 27 August 2026.
However, the power utility added that the incident has not affected nuclear safety or the stability of South Africa’s electricity grid.
The unit was taken offline shortly before 1 am after the turbine trip. Eskom said all plant monitoring systems showed that operating conditions remained stable throughout the event.
“Nuclear safety was never compromised, and there was no risk to employees, the public, or the environment,” Eskom said.
The utility added that Koeberg’s protection and monitoring systems “functioned as designed”, ensuring that the unit remained safe during the incident.
Despite the loss of Unit 1’s generation capacity, Eskom said there is no immediate threat to the national electricity supply.
“The removal of Unit 1’s capacity from the grid poses no risk to the national electricity supply,” it said, adding that it has “sufficient generation capacity available” and that the grid remains “stable and secure”.
Koeberg Unit 1 last underwent major maintenance, which was completed in October 2025. Eskom said the unit had operated reliably since then, although its generation was temporarily reduced in August as a precautionary measure.
This reduction was linked to challenges involving the seawater intake system, following an influx of sardines near the station’s cooling water system.
Increased sardine mortality was also reported along parts of the Southwestern and West Coast during the same period.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) is leading an inter-agency investigation into the matter.
Eskom stressed that there is currently no evidence linking the sardine-related incidents to Koeberg’s operations.
The cause of Thursday morning’s turbine trip remains under investigation. “The cause of the turbine trip is currently under investigation,” Eskom said.
The utility said it would continue monitoring the situation and provide further information as it becomes available.
“Eskom remains committed to transparency and will provide updates as new information becomes available,” it said.
Loading ...