Koeberg's Twin Challenges: Rare Synchronized Operation and Looming Licence Decision

South Africa's Koeberg Power Station, operated by Eskom, is grappling with considerable challenges that could affect the country's power supply. The National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) has confirmed during a media briefing that the power station's two generating units will seldom operate simultaneously for an extended period. This announcement raises concerns about the stability of electricity supply and the potential for increased load-shedding episodes.

Koeberg, which contributes around 921MW of power per unit to the national grid, is critical to mitigating load-shedding. However, according to Peter Bester, the programme manager for nuclear power stations at the NNR, both units of the station will face a 200-day outage upon completion of respective steam generator replacements, followed by containment pressure testing.

Despite these hurdles, the discussion of de-coupling Koeberg's operating licences for its two generation units offers a slight ray of hope. This measure would allow unit 2 to continue running until November 2025, providing some cushion against the power scarcity. Bester indicated that after this period, the unit would then enter its designated lengthy outage.

The urgency is amplified by the upcoming expiration of Koeberg's nuclear operation licence on July 21, 2024. The NNR's decision on whether to extend this license is highly anticipated, with the board set to make its determination in July 2024 after a series of public hearings and a comprehensive technical review report. The public hearings, scheduled for February 3, 10, and 17, 2024, will offer a platform for stakeholders to express their views and concerns regarding the power station’s future.

Energy expert Chris Yelland has alerted about the risk of both units being offline by the licence expiration date, emphasizing the potential for delays to catalyze a shutdown. This scenario underscores the tightrope Eskom is walking, with significant pressure to avoid further delaying measures critical to Koeberg's continued operation. It was a relief when unit 1 was synchronized to the grid on November 18, 2023, after being offline for almost a year, marking the longest outage in the station's history.

Eskom aims to complete similar maintenance work on unit 2 once unit 1 reaches stable operation post commissioning tests. However, the power utility has yet to set a date for the next outage.

The complexities facing Koeberg Power Station are illustrative of the broader challenges within South Africa's energy sector. Bester's disclosure not only spells near-term hurdles for concurrent power generation at Koeberg but also frames a larger narrative of South Africa's reliance on an aging infrastructure — a scenario necessitating decisive action, transparent governance, and conscientious planning to maintain a stable power supply and ensure energy security for the nation.