Nuclear regulator approves Koeberg extension

South Africa’s nuclear regulator gave state-owned Eskom permission to run one of two units at the only nuclear plant on the continent for another two decades as electricity supply in the country remains fragile.

The National Nuclear Regulator granted an operating license to the utility for it to operate unit 1 of the 1,940-megawatt Koeberg station until July 2044, NNR Chief Executive Officer Ditebogo Kgomo said in a press briefing Monday.

Located on the Atlantic coast about 27 kilometres north of Cape Town, the atomic plant’s first unit was completed in 1984 and the second the following year.

The decision is a relief for Eskom, whose mostly coal-fired plants have been prone to breakdowns, resulting in record power cuts over the last couple of years.

While Koeberg gained a reputation for being one of the utility’s most reliable stations, a program to overhaul the facility—planned since 2010—has faced delays.

Koeberg has also faced opposition from environmental groups. Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe, whose portfolio included energy at the time, fired community representative Peter Becker from the board of the National Nuclear Regulator, citing a conflict of interest.

The country’s high court subsequently found the dismissal unlawful.

An International Atomic Energy Agency peer-review mission in 2022 also concluded that South Africa had made some progress in preparation for safe long-term operations at Koeberg, but urged the plant’s management to implement a number of measures to ensure safe long-term operations.

The decision by the regulator has come down to the wire. Eskom sought and was granted permission earlier this year to separate the operating timelines of the two Koeberg units.

While Unit 1’s license is due to expire 21 July 2024, Unit 2 can run until 9 November, 2025, before it also requires a renewal.

The regulator deferred its decision on unit 2, Kgomo said.

Read: Government promises ‘affordable’ nuclear for South Africa