By Betha Madhomu
Cape Town – The National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) has granted a licence extension for Koeberg Nuclear Power Station Unit 1, allowing it to continue operating for an additional 20 years until 21 July 2044, Eskom said on Tuesday.
Koeberg Unit 1, which contributes 930MW to the national grid, will join approximately 120 reactors worldwide that have safely continued operations beyond their initial 40-year lifespan.
Eskom has successfully operated the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station for 40 years, investing heavily in safety improvements and extensive maintenance to ensure its continued safe operation.
Koeberg operating licence extended for further 20 years pic.twitter.com/0KyJXAY7gV
— Eskom Hld SOC Ltd (@Eskom_SA) July 15, 2024
“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.
The power utility’s Chief Nuclear Officer Keith Featherstone, praised the dedication of the teams involved, saying: “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.”
Featherstone also noted the safety improvements made over the years, drawing from both French and US nuclear experiences.
“Koeberg has identified and implemented safety improvements which have reduced the risk to levels that would normally only be achieved by new, modern nuclear power plants,” he said.
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