Eskom seems to be making progress in restoring the state of the Power Utility as the return of the Koeberg Power Station Unit was announced on Saturday.
This achievement follows nearly a year of extensive work, marking it the longest outage in the station’s history. During this period, the original three steam generators were replaced with new ones. In a statement, Eskom said this was a pivotal step in its Generation operational recovery plan and strategic objectives.
Throughout Koeberg Unit 1’s outage, Unit 2 supplied electricity to the grid, and will continue doing so until its next scheduled outage. During Unit 2’s outage, its original three steam generators will also be replaced. The power utility states that the Unit 2 outage will only commence once Unit 1 is stable and all necessary commissioning tests are completed.
“Although the Unit 2 outage will be similar in terms of the scope, the lessons learnt from Unit 1 outage will enable the duration to be reduced, however as was the case during the Unit 1 outage, Nuclear Safety will not be compromised.”
Eskom identified the replacement of steam generators as a prerequisite for extending Koeberg’s operating license beyond its original 40-year design life.
The power utility has already submitted a license extension application to the National Nuclear Regulator for an additional 20 years. This application is currently under assessment.
Koeberg, South Africa’s sole nuclear power station, with a total capacity of 1860 MW (approximately 5% of Eskom’s electricity), boasts the largest generating units on the African continent, ensuring safe and well-maintained operations for nearly four decades.
“I commend everyone involved on the project for ensuring that the unit was returned to service safely,” – Eskom’s Group Executive for Generation, Bheki Nxumalo
Loadshedding outlook
Sunday, 19 November 2023: In order to replenish emergency reserves in preparation for the week ahead, Stage 3 loadshedding has been implemented from 09:00 on Sunday morning until 05:00 on Monday. Eskom says it will communicate the outlook for the week ahead this afternoon.
