Koeberg’s Unit 1 Taken Offline After Turbine Trip

Pretoria: Koeberg's Nuclear Power Station Unit 1 has been safely taken offline following a turbine trip, Eskom has said. The power utility confirmed that the unit was taken offline just before 1 am following the incident, ensuring that all procedures were followed meticulously. According to South African Government News Agency, the turbine trip is under investigation, and Eskom remains committed to transparency by promising to provide updates as more information becomes available. The utility emphasized that plant monitoring confirmed stable operating conditions throughout the event, and nuclear safety was not compromised at any point. The protection and monitoring systems at Koeberg functioned as intended, ensuring safety for employees, the public, and the environment. Eskom stated that the removal of Unit 1's capacity from the grid poses no risk to the national electricity supply. The utility assured that sufficient generation capacity is available, and the grid remains stable and secure. It was noted tha t Koeberg's Unit 1 was last taken offline for major maintenance, which was completed in October 2025. Since then, the unit has operated reliably, with a temporary reduction in generation in August 2026 due to seawater intake challenges related to a sardine influx near the station's cooling water system. During this period, increased sardine mortality was reported along the Southwestern and West Coast. The matter is part of an ongoing inter-agency investigation led by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), with no current evidence linking these incidents to the operations of Koeberg Nuclear Power Station.