The Koeberg power plant is the only nuclear facility on the African continent. Credit: Colin N. Perkel / Shutterstock.

The National Nuclear Regulator of South Africa has approved a 20-year life extension for Unit 1 of the Koeberg nuclear power plant, owned by Eskom.

This decision comes as the country grapples with ongoing electricity supply issues.

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Eskom’s application for the extension is part of a strategy to mitigate persistent power shortages.

The 40-year operating licence for Koeberg Unit 1, located outside Cape Town, was set to expire in July 2024, Reuters has reported.

Koeberg is the only nuclear facility on the African continent.

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However, environmental activists have expressed safety concerns, which echo issues previously identified by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), including reactor containment building corrosion and cracks, as well as faulty monitoring systems.

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Eskom previously told the news agency that it had addressed all those issues.

National Nuclear Regulator CEO Ditebogo Kgomo stated that the licence renewal for Koeberg Unit 1 includes mandatory “safety improvements identified as part of the third periodic safety review.”

The regulator is still reviewing the application for a similar extension for Koeberg Unit 2, whose licence remains valid until November 2025.

Kgomo gave assurances that the health, safety and environmental concerns raised during public consultations have been sufficiently addressed by the licence conditions and Eskom’s safety case.

But community activists, including Peter Becker, a former civil society representative at the nuclear regulator, have signalled potential legal challenges against the regulator’s decision.

Koeberg, which began operations in the 1980s using French technology, has a capacity of 1.9GW and contributes 5% of Eskom’s electricity output.

The IAEA is scheduled to revisit Koeberg in September 2024 to review the progress on safety improvements.