South Africa has entered a critical phase of revamping its sole nuclear plant and needs it to run according to plan to avoid deepening power cuts that are already at a record and wreaking havoc on the economy.
The first of two units at the 1 940-megawatt Koeberg plant was shut down last month for refuelling and the replacement of its steam generators, work that’s expected to be completed in early June, state power utility Eskom said in an emailed response to questions.
The overhaul of the second unit is due to begin a few months later.
The head of Eskom’s nuclear unit quit last year, while the utility’s chief executive will leave end of March, raising concerns that the company won’t be able to stick to its schedule.
The plant, which was originally set to operate until 2024, is one of Eskom’s most reliable, making its return to service key to meeting the nation’s energy needs.
Located on the Atlantic coast about 27 kilometres (17 miles) north of Cape Town, Koeberg’s first unit was completed in 1984 and the second the following year. The replacement of its generators was originally expected to be completed in 2021 but the project was dogged by delays. The revamp will extend its lifespan by two decades.
“Frequent delays in returning units from maintenance are a serious cause of concern,” said Fanele Mondi, chief executive officer of the Energy Intensive Users Group, whose members include Anglo American and Glencore and account for about 40 percent of the nation’s electricity consumption.
The work on Koeberg “is one such maintenance event that has to be done on time” as any delay will have a significant impact on the performance of the power system, he said. — Bloomberg
