Work on the second generator at the Kubech nuclear power plant is progressing well and is expected to be connected to the grid by the end of September 2024, Eskom said.
The 980MW unit was shut down on December 11, 2023 to replace the steam generator. The Unit 1 generator completed the same work between December 2022 and November 2023.
"The outage is progressing well and the unit is expected to be back in operation by the end of September 2024," Eskom told MyBroadband. ”
If ** is established, the work on the second unit will be completed in less than ten months, about a month faster than the first unit.
According to the Minister of Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, this is because ESKOM learned from the challenges faced during the replacement of the steam generator of the first unit.
Kgosientso Ramokgopa, Minister of Electricity. ESKOM experienced several delays in carrying out maintenance on Unit 1 and resumed operations about five months later than planned.
Now we are dismantling Unit 2 for the same purpose. I spoke to the team and said that we had learned from the mistakes and shortcomings of Unit 1. Ramokgopa said in December.
We ask them to adhere to the schedule for the return of Unit 2. ”
The successful replacement of the steam generators in each unit is essential to extend the operating licence for the Kubech power station, which expires in July 2024.
"The replacement of the steam generator is an important milestone in the life cycle of Kubech, as it is considered by ESKOM to be a prerequisite for extending the Kubech operating license beyond the original design life of 40 years," says ESKOM. ”
ESKOM has submitted a licence application to the National Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNNR) to extend the service life of Kubech for another 20 years, which is being evaluated by NNR. ”
While the ongoing work at the Koberg power station is critical to the future of energy production in South Africa, the plant will not be operating at full capacity for at least two years.
Chris Yelland, Managing Director, EE Business Intelligence, together the two generator sets provide more than 1,800 megawatts of electricity to the grid at full load.
However, in December 2023, the National Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NNNR), which is responsible for deciding whether it is safe to extend the plant's operating license, confirmed that the units will face further outages following the replacement of the steam generators.
After the Unit 2 steam generator replacement is complete, each unit will face a 200-day power outage to assess the reactor's concrete containment structure, which has begun to crack down.
Peter Bester, project manager at the NNNR nuclear power plant, said: "It is rare that there will be two units operating at the same time in the foreseeable years ahead. ”
Although the resumption of work on Unit 1 and the work on Unit 2 are progressing well, the National Power Company of South Africa is not out of the woods.
In October 2023, EE Business Intelligence managing director Chris Yell said there were still a lot of issues that could arise with the work, putting the extension of its operating license at risk.
Yeeland said he wasn't in the *** going to close, only warning that more delays would increase the risk of this happening.