Koeberg Unit 2 down in ‘unplanned trip’ – no load shedding forecast

On Sunday, 2 March, Eskom said Unit 2 of the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station underwent an “unplanned, non-technical trip while operating at full capacity”. 

In the evening, the state power utility said the unit tripped during the execution of work on Unit 1, which is currently offline “for work to be conducted as part of its Long-Term Operation (LTO) programme”. 

Eskom says the unit was safely shut down in line with standard operating procedures. “Unit 2 is expected to be reconnected to the national grid within 48 hours,” said Eskom.

In September 2024, Daily Maverick reported that both units at Koeberg were offline. After sustained public pressure, Eskom said the reason for the shutdown was that one of the isolation/block valves had failed a safety routine. 

Read more: Both Koeberg units offline after unexpected shutdown and planned maintenance

“Eskom assures the public that Koeberg Nuclear Power Station maintains the highest safety standards as evidenced by the management of today’s event. Further updates will be provided as needed,” the utility said on Sunday. 

Eskom was quick to reassure the country that the trip did not “necessitate the implementation of load shedding”. 

Last week, South Africa was left reeling when Eskom announced load shedding after 300 days of uninterrupted power. The country was immediately plunged into Stage 3 load shedding. In a dramatic twist, on Sunday, 23 February Eskom announced in the dead of the night that Stage 6 load shedding had been implemented. 

Read more: Load shedding Stage 6 shock — Ramokgopa rules out sabotage, says ‘the buck stops’ with him

At present, there is no load shedding. “Eskom acknowledges that overall, generation capacity remains constrained,” said the power utility on Sunday night. 

“The company continues to maintain high levels of maintenance, averaging 7,032MW in February,” Eskom said. “These efforts are key to enhancing fleet reliability ahead of increased winter demand while also meeting environmental licence conditions and regulatory requirements.” DM