Koeberg is 'overworked'
2006-01-17 08:18
Cape Town - The imminent power crisis and problems dragging on at the Koeberg nuclear power plant may disrupt the lives of Western Cape people for many years to come.
The power supply problems will severely affect households and large and small businesses in the Western Cape, as well as parts of the Southern and Eastern Cape.
An expert told Die Burger that poor planning and management were two of the reasons for the crisis now facing the province.
Cape energy-specialist engineer Andrew Kenny said continual power outages would cast the province into darkness regularly this year and next year. This could continue for up to five years, he said.
"The whole debacle about Koeberg and the severe shortage of power in the province were identified years ago. So far the respective role players have washed their hands of the responsibility. The problem has never been addressed and now we'll all be left carrying the can," he said.
Broken-down generator as big as a train carriage
Kenny said the problems with the Koeberg nuclear power station were very serious. The generator in Unit 1 had unexpectedly caused problems.
"This broken-down generator is as big as a train carriage. If it's beyond repair, it'll have to be replaced. This process could take months.
"A lack of proper maintenance is one of the reasons the generator broke down. Eskom can't afford to do proper maintenance. The demand for power is now so huge that any maintenance on the nuclear power station causes power outages. Koeberg is 'overworked'.
"The Western Cape simply has too few power stations to meet the demand for power. And the gas turbines envisaged for Mossel Bay and Atlantis can't solve the problem either. These turbines can't generate enough power to provide for the shortages," he said.
He added that the two Koeberg reactors provided 1 800 Megawatts of power to the province. Another 3 500 Megawatts were "imported" via the overhead lines from Mpumalanga. If both of Koeberg's reactors were out of order, there would be a drastic shortage of power in the Western Cape.
Pebble-bed modular reactor best solution
"The generator of Unit 1 gave problems after the unit was serviced and switched on again." Kenny said nuts and bolts had come undone in the generator, causing severe damage.
Chairperson of the forum for nuclear safety and retired physics specialist of the former Nuclear Energy Corporation of SA (Nesca) Dr Dannie van As said he was deeply disappointed in the power station and the problems there at present.
"Koeberg worked without any problems for the past 20 years. It's a pity that there are so many crises now. Koeberg supplies at least 6% of the country's and nearly 100% of the Western Cape's power. We'd lose an enormous chunk of power if Koeberg's 1 800 Megawatts were lost," Van As said.
He said the planned pebble-bed modular reactor was the best way to solve the province's growing shortage of power.
"Coal is not an answer. It's too expensive and the country's railways cannot successfully transport such large amounts of coal to the Western Cape.
"Solar power and wind power are not the answer either. These kinds of power are always of a secondary nature."
Public lighting manager of the Cape Town City Council Charles Kadalie said the city's respective role players were now holding their breath.
"We're waiting to hear from Eskom now. As soon as the power utility has announced its plans, a contingency plan can be put into place," he said.
Koeberg spokesperson Carin de Villiers said the management had not taken any decisions yet on Monday. Meetings were planned for Tuesday and Wednesday to determine how and when the repairs to the generator would begin.