By Lydia Petersen, Project 90 by 2030, and Koeberg Alert Alliance
Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, located near Cape Town, South Africa is the only operational nuclear power plant on the African continent. The station’s two reactors were built by French nuclear giant Framatome in the 1970s, and both are 970 megawatt pressurized water reactors. Unit 1 was synchronized to the grid in 1984 and unit 2 a year later. Koeberg contributes approximately 4.8% of South Africa’s electricity generation to the national grid, providing both reactors are online simultaneously.
As the country continues to grapple with an energy crisis and rolling black-outs, Eskom, the state-owned utility, has embarked on a project to extend the operational lifespan of Koeberg by an additional 20 years. This decision to relicense unit 1 was granted by South Africa’s nuclear-overseeing agency, the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR), on July 15, 2024. The license extension has sparked significant debate, particularly regarding safety concerns found by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the handling and storage of radioactive waste produced by the reactors. Public fears were affirmed less than two months later, on September 11, when Koeberg shut down unexpectedly for 10 days after failing a routine test. Eskom was forced to announce the shutdown to the public after Koeberg Alert Alliance notified the press.
The 20-year Extension
When originally commissioned, Koeberg was designed to operate for 40 years. However, as electricity demand increased, and Eskom faced challenges with its aging coal-fired fleet, the decision was made to extend the life of the reactor. The extension and refurbishment program were budgeted for 20 billion South African Rands, or roughly $1.1 billion, including replacement of the reactor vessel head and steam generators, among other upgrades. These renovations were deemed necessary to ensure that the facility meets modern safety and performance standards.
Since the announcement of the proposed extension there has been public outcry about potential safety and environmental risks. Furthermore, many are concerned with potential accidents, considering that Koeberg is built near a fault line, and Cape Town experienced a few earthquakes in recent years. The public’s fears have been further compounded by the lack of transparency as Civil Society organizations, including Project 90 by 2030, had to intervene with legal processes to have access to vital documents regarding the extension and safe operation of the reactors. Many also reject the significant long-term environmental harm of continued radioactive waste generation. Thanks to a campaign by Koeberg Alert Alliance and Project 90 by 2030, letters appealing the license renewal have flooded the office of the Minister of Electricity and Energy.
Radioactive Waste Management
A critical aspect of nuclear power generation is the amount of nuclear waste it produces. As Koeberg’s original lifespan has come to an end, storage space in the irradiated waste fuel pools has reached capacity. This forced Eskom to re-rack the fuel rods to accommodate more highly radioactive waste material. After the waste fuel assemblies have been in the cooling pools for five to eight years, they are moved to dry casks in a specially demarcated area at the facility.
The low and intermediate levels of nuclear waste, including personal protective clothing and items used in radioactive areas, are transported to the Vaalputs Waste Disposal Unit in the Northern Cape Province some 600 kilometers (375 miles) away. It is widely speculated that this site was chosen by the Apartheid Regime due to its sparse population, particularly with marginalized communities, making it easy for the government to impose decisions without significant opposition. Apartheid policies prioritized keeping potentially hazardous or undesirable activities away from urban centers predominantly inhabited by the white population. In this way, the government adhered to its practice of environmental racism, where marginalized communities bore the brunt of environmental and health risks.
This facility is managed by the National Radioactive Waste Disposal Institute. Vaalputs is located in the Namakwaland region, known for its dry, desert-like conditions. The communities surrounding the disposal site have grave concerns about the possible leakage of radioactive waste materials into the groundwater and their drinking water. The nuclear waste is stored in drums and cement casks, buried in 8- to 10-meter (26- to 33-foot) trenches, just above groundwater level.
As Koeberg unit 1 embarks on its 20-year life extension the critical issues of safety concerns at the station and the continued generation of nuclear waste remain a bone of contention. Civil society believes that the National Nuclear Regulator acted with undue haste to extend the license. Energy experts have harshly critiqued the extension decision, mirroring the opinion of the general public.
“The NNR decision increases the public’s perception that the NNR is solely looking out after its own interests,” said Karel Beukes, a resident living near the Vaalputs Waste Disposal Unit who appealed the license decision. “The public in the … area are sick and tired of the clandestine manner in which Eskom and the NNR operate, and we demand transparency when it comes to decisions that affect us.” The call for transparency has exponentially increased during the last two years, with many observing that the license extension puts profit above people again. While Eskom and the South African government maintain that the necessary safety measures are in place, public concern persists. Civil Society is adamant that safety protocols have not all been observed and implemented during the refurbishment period, and that critical safety features were omitted. This is a glaring omission as Eskom claims to follow global safety standards. These and many additional concerns will be raised again as the license extension process gets underway for unit 2 next year, with a license decision expected by November 2025.
— Koeberg Alert Alliance, July 22; International Atomic Energy Agency, Mar. 31, 2022
— Lydia Petersen is an environmentalist and anti-nuclear activist from Cape Town, South Africa. She is the spokesperson for Koeberg Alert Alliance.
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