South Africa:Deputy Minister Visits Koeberg To Review Nuclear Plant Operations

South African Deputy Minister for Electricity and Energy Alexandra Abrahams has visited Koeberg Nuclear Power Station as part of a programme to assess the institutions and infrastructure underpinning the country’s electricity security.

During the visit, Abrahams received briefings on Koeberg’s operating performance, nuclear waste management and specialist training programme. She also toured the station’s operator-training simulator.

Koeberg, Africa’s only commercial nuclear power station, has two generating units with a combined capacity of about 1,860 megawatts (MW). The plant plays a key role in supporting electricity supply in the Western Cape.

Both units have received 20-year operating licence extensions. Unit 1 is licensed to operate until July 2044, while Unit 2 is licensed until November 2045.

“Effective political oversight must begin with a clear understanding of the institutions, infrastructure and technical systems for which we are responsible. Koeberg is a complex national asset. Today’s visit allowed me to engage directly with the people responsible for operating it and to identify the issues that require sustained attention from government,” Abrahams said.

She said Koeberg’s future contribution would depend on disciplined maintenance, the retention and development of specialist nuclear skills, reliable supply chains, credible waste management arrangements and continued compliance with conditions imposed by the National Nuclear Regulator.

“South Africans judge the electricity system by whether the lights remain on and whether they can afford the electricity they use. Every major energy asset must contribute to these two outcomes,” she said.

“Reliable generation from Koeberg strengthens security of supply and supports the stability of South Africa’s grid. Efficient operation can also reduce pressure on the electricity system by limiting the need for more expensive emergency generation. This matters for households and businesses already carrying a heavy electricity-cost burden.”

Abrahams said affordability should be assessed over the station’s full operating life, including maintenance, regulatory compliance, waste management, eventual decommissioning and the cost of maintaining the specialist capabilities required for safe nuclear operation.

“Koeberg’s licence extensions provide South Africa with a valuable window in which to secure dependable generation from infrastructure that has already been built. That value will be realised only through rigorous safety standards, sound financial management and transparent oversight,” she said.

The deputy minister also received an update on recent localised radioactive contamination incidents during maintenance activities. She was told the contamination remained within the plant’s containment structures, monitoring and protection systems functioned as designed, and no radioactive material was released into the surrounding environment.

The incidents were classified as Level 0 on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES), indicating no safety significance.

“The information presented today confirms that there was no danger to surrounding communities or the environment. Public confidence in nuclear energy nevertheless depends on transparency, independent regulation and a consistent willingness to learn from every operational event, no matter how minor,” Abrahams said.