Eskom has said operations at the Koeberg nuclear power station were scaled back on Tuesday afternoon following a fault on a transmission line near Stellenbosch, but stressed that the incident posed no risk to the reactors or national grid stability.
Both units at South Africa’s only nuclear power station were safely reduced from full output to about 100MW each at 4.53pm after a fault occurred on 132kV transmission lines fed from the Pinotage substation. Eskom said the response was automatic and designed to protect the plant and the broader electricity system.
The utility emphasised that neither of Koeberg’s reactors was affected by the incident and that the National Nuclear Regulator had been notified in line with regulatory requirements.
Read: Eskom’s Koeberg cleared to keep humming till 2045
Eskom also moved to allay concerns about potential supply disruptions, saying there was no risk of load shedding as national generation reserves remained sufficient. The National Transmission Company South Africa has since authorised the gradual ramp-up of output at both units.
“Koeberg continues to operate safely and securely,” Eskom said, adding that all operational and regulatory protocols were followed throughout the incident. – © 2026 NewsCentral Media
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