Eskom says Koeberg Unit 1 trip posed no risk to electricity supply or safety

Koeberg Nuclear Power Station’s Unit 1 was safely taken offline just before 1am on 27 August 2026 after a turbine trip, and Eskom says the incident did not compromise nuclear safety or threaten the national electricity supply.

Immediate response and safety

An Eskom spokesperson, Daphne Mokwena, said plant monitoring showed operating conditions remained stable throughout the event.

“Nuclear safety was never compromised, and there was no risk to employees, the public, or the environment. Koeberg’s protection and monitoring systems functioned as designed, ensuring the unit always remained safe.”

Mokwena added that removing Unit 1’s capacity from the grid poses no risk to the national electricity supply.

Grid stability and generation capacity

Eskom said the national grid remains stable and secure and that the utility has sufficient generation capacity available, so there is no increased risk of loadshedding linked to the Unit 1 trip.

Maintenance history and recent operational challenges

Koeberg Unit 1 last underwent major maintenance in October 2025. Eskom noted the unit had operated reliably since that work was completed.

The utility also said Unit 1’s generation was temporarily reduced in August as a precautionary measure because of seawater intake challenges related to a sardine influx near the station’s cooling water system. During the same period, increased sardine mortality was reported along the Southwestern and West Coast.

The sardine incidents are the subject of an ongoing interagency investigation led by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), and Eskom said there is currently no evidence linking these incidents to Koeberg’s operations.

Investigation and transparency

The cause of the turbine trip is under investigation. Eskom said it remains committed to transparency and will provide updates as new information becomes available.

Context: recent contamination events and assurances

Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa earlier assured the public that Koeberg was safe following reports of contamination during maintenance work. Three airborne contamination events were recorded at Unit 2 during planned maintenance between 30 June and 7 July; Eskom said these occurred after a power outage to ventilation units serving temporary maintenance tents inside the reactor building.

According to Eskom, no radioactive material was released into the environment during those events and there was no risk to nearby communities. Ramokgopa’s assurance also said the nuclear build programme will continue as planned.