Power Plant

South African power utility Eskom announced that a unit at the Koeberg nuclear power plant shut down unexpectedly. The unplanned shutdown occurred when Koeberg Unit 2 tripped while operating at full capacity, though Eskom confirmed it was not due to a technical fault. Eskom stated that the trip happened inadvertently during ongoing work on Unit 1, which has been offline for maintenance. Following the incident, Unit 2 was switched off as a precautionary measure in line with standard operational protocols. Eskom assured the public that efforts to restart the affected unit were underway, with reconnection expected within 48 hours. Located north of Cape Town, Koeberg remains Africa’s only commercial nuclear power station, contributing 1,860 megawatts or 5% of South Africa’s power supply. The temporary loss of this unit adds to ongoing energy challenges, as Eskom continues battling infrastructure constraints and frequent power cuts.