- No radiation leak and no impact on workers, public or environment, says Eskom.
- Event classified as INES Level 0 indicating no safety significance.
- Maintenance outage remains on schedule for November 2026 completion.
Eskom has confirmed that no radiation leak occurred during routine maintenance at Unit 2 of the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, with the event formally classified as Level 0 on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale, indicating no safety significance.
The unit has been offline for scheduled maintenance since April 2026. According to the utility, there was no need to administer iodine tablets and no impact on employees, surrounding communities or the environment. The National Nuclear Regulator was notified in line with compliance requirements.
The incident relates to brief and localised detections of airborne radioactivity recorded on 2 July and 7 July 2026 inside a controlled work area within the containment building. The detections occurred during steam generator inspections and remained confined within designated safety barriers.
Eskom stated that monitoring systems responded as designed, triggering alarms that led to the immediate suspension of work, isolation of the affected area and activation of ventilation and filtration systems. Conditions were restored before maintenance activities resumed.
The utility explained that the inspections were carried out using eddy current testing, a non-destructive technique widely used in the global nuclear industry to assess the condition and thickness of steam generator tubes. During probe movement, microscopic oxide particles became airborne within the enclosed work zone, a known and managed occurrence during such procedures.
Multiple safety layers were in place, including physical containment barriers, high efficiency particulate air filtered ventilation operating under negative pressure, continuous air monitoring systems and personnel protection protocols. Eskom said these controls ensured that all material remained within the containment structure.
The company added that the event demonstrated the effectiveness of its safety systems, with no disruption to plant operations or the outage schedule. Koeberg Unit 1 continues to operate at full capacity.
Separate media reports alleged that up to 150 workers may have been exposed to internal contamination during a series of incidents between 30 June and 7 July, reportedly linked to a temporary loss of power to ventilation systems used in maintenance areas. These reports suggested elevated airborne particles and potential iodine treatment for affected workers.
Eskom and the National Nuclear Regulator have rejected these claims, stating that recorded exposure levels were minimal, around 1 microsievert, well below typical medical diagnostic exposures. Authorities maintain that no health impacts occurred.
Regulators have confirmed that no radioactive material was released beyond the plant’s containment systems and that the public was never at risk. The National Nuclear Regulator is continuing its review of the ventilation related failure to strengthen preventative measures.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
