Return of Koeberg Unit 1 delayed to August
Eskom has announced a revised return-to-service date for Koeberg Unit 1, confirming that it will now only be operational by the end of August instead of July as initially planned.
The delay is due to additional steam generator maintenance and safety inspections.
Energy board said it remains committed to international safety standards and long-term operational reliability as part of its life-extension programme for the country’s only nuclear power station.
Unit 1 has been offline since late 2023 for critical maintenance work.
Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena says four defects were identified across thousands of tubes during routine eddy current testing on the newly installed steam generators.
"The tubes were immediately repaired using automated methods, with assistance from specialised international teams. In addition, Koeberg successfully completed its legally mandated 10-year Integrated Leak Rate Test (ILRT), confirming the structural integrity and leak-tightness of Unit 1’s containment building."
Despite the delay, Mokwena says there is no increased risk of load shedding.
"The 2025 Winter Outlook, issued on 5 May, remains unchanged. Eskom confirmed that the planned return of 2,500MW to the grid this winter does not rely on Koeberg Unit 1.
"The outlook shows no load shedding will be required unless unplanned outages exceed 13,000MW, with even the worst-case scenario capped at Stage 2 for no more than 21 days.
"Koeberg’s Unit 2 remains online, delivering up to 946MW with a year-to-date Energy Availability Factor of 99.38%. Together, the two units contribute around 1,860MW — about 5% of the national power supply.
"Once maintenance is complete, Unit 1 will undergo final refuelling, testing and synchronisation back to the grid. Eskom staggers maintenance between the two Koeberg units to ensure one always remains in operation."
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