KWAME AMUAH | Extending Koeberg’s life: A costly and risky gamble, if not delusional

Eskom’s plan to extend the life of the Koeberg nuclear power station by 20 years is misguided and risky, with South Africa’s lack of maintenance technicians resulting in continued reliance on French company Framatome (formerly Areva) for maintenance and overhaul, an unsustainable dependence on foreign expertise and technology.

South Africa’s uranium enrichment capability was developed in the 1970s and 1980s as part of the country’s nuclear weapons programme, codenamed “Savanna”. Though the nuclear weapons programme was dismantled in the 1990s, the knowledge and infrastructure gained during that time remain. The Valindaba facility was capable of producing highly enriched uranium using a gas centrifuge process.

Instead of leveraging this expertise and infrastructure, South Africa continues to rely on importing nuclear fuel from France, adding to the financial burden and perpetuating a reliance on foreign technology. By reviving and adapting the enrichment capability, South Africa could reduce its reliance on imports, create jobs, stimulate local economic growth, develop a domestic nuclear industry, reduce reliance on foreign companies and enhance energy security and independence.

The cancelled Pebble Bed Modular Reactor programme led to significant advancements in fuel cell technology which could be used in future nuclear reactors to provide a cleaner and more efficient source of energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate climate change and create new economic opportunities and industries.

New-generation reactors are cheaper to build and operate than extending Koeberg’s life, offering improved safety features, increased efficiency, reduced fuel consumption and waste production and enhanced waste management, minimising environmental impact.

Koeberg’s reactors were commissioned in 1984 and 1985, making them approximately 38 and 39 years old, nearing the end of their normal 40-year life cycle. Eskom’s planned 20-year life extension raises concerns about safety, maintenance and upgrade costs.

Building new reactors would cost between R50bn  and R70bn, a one-time expense, whereas extending Koeberg’s life will cost R20bn to R30bn over 20 years, plus R10bn to R15bn per year for fuel imports, totalling R40bn to R60bn over 20 years, making new reactors the more cost-effective option.

Koeberg’s age increases the risk of accidents and radioactive leaks, putting the surrounding community and environment at risk, with the National Nuclear Regulator expressing concerns about its aging infrastructure and safety.

Extending its life means continued reliance on imported nuclear fuel, contributing to carbon emissions and environmental degradation, contradicting South Africa’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and increasing renewable energy sources.

Extending Koeberg’s life is a costly and risky gamble. Instead, South Africa should invest in new-generation reactors, utilising local uranium reserves and innovative fuel cell technology to create a cleaner, safer and more efficient energy future.

What South Africa needs now is political will and bravery to make this happen as Koeberg is a ticking time bomb, and disaster may strike if we don’t act.

• Kwame Amuah transitioned from an academic career to business and an advisory role on nuclear issues. He is non-executive chairperson of the Indigo Kulani Group and founder of OSR Holdings, the Singularity Institute Africa and Centre for Disruptive Technologies. He obtained his doctorate from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in the US and MPA from Harvard University. He was a special adviser to science minister Ben Ngubane from 1994 to 1999. Amuah has also represented the South African government on UN scientific and technical committees.

• Eskom told MPs on Wednesday it might in future apply to extend the operating life of Koeberg nuclear power station in Cape Town for a second time, Business Day reports. The power utility was recently granted permission from the National Nuclear Regulator to extend the operating life of Koeberg unit 1 by 20 years until July 2044, and it is hoping to get similar approval to run unit 2 until November 2045. Koeberg has two generating units with a capacity of about 930MW each. Unit 1 was first synchronised to the grid 40 years ago in 1984 and unit 2 followed in 1985.