By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Minister of Electricity and Energy Kgosientsho Ramokgopa gave assurances that the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station is safe following wide reports of radioactive contamination during maintanence work, adding that the nuclear build programme will continue as planned.
Ramakgopa was briefing the media on Sunday following three airborne contamination events recorded at Unit Two of the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station during planned maintenance between 30 June and 7 July.
This was due to a power outage to the ventilation units serving temporary maintenance tents inside the reactor building.
No radioactive material was released into the environment, and there was no risk to nearby communities.
Ramokgopa said the government had deliberately convened a briefing to counter “misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda” that can fuel suspicion.
“Koeberg has been able to operate in a safe, efficient and reliable manner for more than 40 years, with little to no incidents,” he said.
“We are proceeding with the nuclear build programme, looking forward to an additional 20 years of life for the two units, as we introduce 5 gigawatts of new nuclear build.”
He stressed transparency as a safeguard against public anxiety.
“We don’t want to enter the next phase of nuclear procurement with a cloud of suspicion. We are safe. There is no reason to be suspicious. The exposure at Koeberg is, in fact, no more than what we encounter in our daily lives.”
Chief Nuclear Officer Velaphi Ntuli explained that the incidents occurred during steam generator testing, a routine process after life‑extension work.
“It is common in the industry that when you do this activity, it will generate localised radioactivity. We plan for it, and we implement diverse radiation protection protocols to protect our workers, the public and the environment,” he said.
Ntuli confirmed precautionary evacuations and monitoring
“The maximum dose during all these events that our workers received was 20 microsieverts, compared to the annual limit of 20,000 microsieverts. Under no circumstances did we have fuel melting or an incident with fuel, so potassium iodide tablets were not necessary.”
Ramokgopa admitted that nuclear energy needs to be addressed, given the state’s plan to secure an additional 5.2 GW of nuclear capacity by 2039. Koeberg produces around 2GW of power. He also emphasised that Koeberg’s power has been essential in stopping load shedding in the country over the last several years.