Koeberg celebrates 40 years of safe nuclear operation delivering 1 800MW of reliable baseload power to South Africa
21 July 2024
Today, Koeberg Nuclear Power Station in Cape Town, Western Cape province, marks 40 years of safe nuclear operation of its Unit 1 reactor. Throughout this period, it has reliably generated clean and affordable electricity, playing a crucial role in the economic development of the country.
The National Occupational Safety Association (NOSA) has recognised Koeberg’s commitment to safety by bestowing upon it the NOSCAR status on over 14 occasions.
Construction at Koeberg began on 1 July 1976, and the Unit 1 reactor was taken critical for the first time on 4 April 1984. On 21 July 1984, Unit 1 completed the commissioning tests at 100% power and entered into commercial operation. Unit 2 followed later and entered commercial operation on 9 November 1985.
With most of South Africa’s power stations situated on the Highveld coal fields in the Mpumalanga province in the north of the country, over a 1 000km away from Cape Town, Koeberg Nuclear Power Station is a critical anchor for the country’s electricity transmission network in the Western Cape. Its location significantly reduces the transmission losses associated with supplying the requirements of the City of Cape Town and the surrounding areas.