Koeberg Unit 2 maintenance incident
Analysis based on 6 articles · First reported Jul 19, 2026 · Last updated Jul 20, 2026
The incident is unlikely to have a material impact on Eskom's operations or South Africa's electricity supply, as Unit 2's outage was already planned and Unit 1 continues operating. The event's low severity and transparent handling may maintain investor confidence in Eskom's nuclear safety management.
During routine maintenance at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station's Unit 2, which has been on a scheduled outage since April 2026, two brief and localized airborne radioactivity events occurred on 2 and 7 July 2026 inside a controlled work area within the containment building. The events were detected during Eddy Current Testing of steam generators, where microscopic oxide particles became airborne. Eskom confirmed no radiation leak occurred, no impact on workers, public, or environment, and the event was classified as Level 0 on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES), indicating no safety significance. The South Africa — National Nuclear Regulator was notified. Some media reports alleged potential worker exposure, but Eskom and the regulator rejected these claims, stating exposure levels were minimal. The outage remains on schedule for November 2026, and Unit 1 continues normal operation.
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