Koeberg still has plenty of mileage before it reaches the end

Several civil society organisations – including the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI), Project 90 by 2030, The Green Connection, and Earthlife Africa Johannesburg are opposed to plans to extend Koeberg Nuclear Power Station lifespan.

Koeberg Nuclear Power Plant’s lifespan license expires in 2024 and Eskom has since 2010, sought to extend operations by another 20 years. 

Public participation on Koeberg’s long term operation comes to an end in five days.

Key concerns around Koeberg

The organisations have accused Eskom and Koeberg management of not providing enough information about the proposed extension and stifling proper public involvement in the process.

“There has been lack of information for the safety case which has been a major obstacle to proper public involvement in this very critical and far-reaching decision, said SAFCEI’s Executive Director Francesca de Gasparis.

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“Since touting the idea to extend the lifespan of Koeberg, Eskom has initiated a number of significant ‘maintenance’ projects, including the replacement of the steam generators, the refueling water-storage tanks, and the Unit 2 reactor pressure vessel head to the cost of billions of rand without any public participation.”

De Gasparis said “several experts” have advised against Koeberg’s plant life extension due to serious questions about the stability of the electricity grid and load shedding, coupled with the risks at a nuclear power plant without a stable supply.

“Other serious concerns include the risks of long-term radioactive waste storage offsite at Vaalputs in the Northern Cape, and at Koeberg, and the condition of the infrastructure to extend the life of the plant, in addition to the environmental and climate impacts, all of which impact both people and the planet,” adds De Gasparis.

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Koeberg still has many years left

South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) chairman David Nicholls said Koeberg is nowhere near the end of its life span, and can be classified as ‘middle-aged’.

He said extending the life span of nuclear stations was common practice internationally, saying some nuclear plants in the United States operate for about 60 to 100 years, before being shut down.

Unit one at Koeberg came online in 1984 and Unit two followed in 1985, putting the station at roughly 38 years.

Should Koeberg go offline, it would bring the Western Cape power supply to its knees.

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‘Lack of transparency accusations – lazy’

Nicholls, who served as Eskom’s Chief Nuclear Officer for 34 years before retiring in 2018, said SAFCEI’s accusations of lack of transparency and information were ‘lazy’.

“There must be public information about nuclear plants by law and international standards.
Saying details about nuclear energy is secretive is lazy, you haven’t bothered to ask questions. There has always been public meetings, chaired by residents and attended by communities,” said Nicholls.

He went on to explain that Eskom’s intentions to renew Koeberg’s lifespan has been in the works since 2010, exactly in line with world standards.

“Nuclear is incredibly transparent as per world standards. Koeberg is controlled locally, but international nuclear partners provide peer reviews about operations and structure and reports about Koeberg are issued every two years.

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“Those reports have commended the quality of staff at Koeberg and condition of the plant.”

SAFCEI has been vehemently opposed to nuclear energy, favouring renewable energy as a means of addressing the country’s electricity supply crisis for short term relief.

Nicholls also addressed issues around the disposal of radioactive waste saying environmental lobby groups concerns were ‘vague’.

Koeberg nuclear waste is stored in a ‘pool’ before being moved to a dry cast steel storage cylinder at the same site for an interim period that can last over a hundred years.

Thereafter, the waste is moved to the Vaalput’s disposal site in the Northern Cape, where it is buried under ground.

“The longer you leave nuclear waste, the less expensive it get to move it to its final disposal site-a tomb of sorts.”

The cost to extend Koeberg’s life span to about 2040 would range in the R20 billion region, which Nicholls says is good value for money for long term guaranteed power supply.

The National Nuclear Regulator has invited the public to submit comments on the Koeberg Nuclear Plant Long-Term Operation (LTO) proposal by 16 March 2023. 

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