Koeberg Nuclear power station’s life extended to 2044

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Energy and Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has welcomed the National Nuclear Regulator’s announcement to extend the operating life of Eskom’s Koeberg Nuclear Power Station Unit 1.

The unit will continue to contribute to the grid for another 20 years until July 2044. Ramokgopa described the decision as an affirmation of the importance of nuclear energy’s contribution to the country’s energy needs.

Eskom’s spokesperson Daphney Mokwena has allayed any safety concerns due to Koeberg’s life extension.

“Koeberg’s unit 1 will join approximately 120 reactors worldwide that have safely continued operations beyond their initial 40-year life. Eskom has operated the plant for 40 years and has invested in safety improvement and extensive maintenance to ensure that it continues safely into the future. Together with our business partners, we are proud of our achievements that ensure that Africa’s first and only nuclear plant continues to operate into the future,” says Mokwena.

VIDEO | Return to service of unit one at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station delayed: