- US-based construction company, Jacobs, has been selected as the contractor for the R20 billion operating life extension programme Koeberg nuclear power station near Cape Town, South Africa.
- Owned and operated by South Africa’ state owned energy utility, Eskom, and the only nuclear power plant on the continent, the plant is currently rated at 1860MW (2 x 930MW reactors) capacity and an annual production of around 3668 GWh.
Jacobs Energy Security and Technology senior vice-president Karen Wiemelt said: “This project is vital to maintain the pivotal role of nuclear power in South Africa’s energy mix.
“To date, this is the largest single contract for our nuclear team in South Africa, which has successfully completed numerous engineering, procurement and construction projects to support operations at Koeberg over the past 30 years.”
The project will involve installing six replacement steam generators, each weighing around 380t and measuring around 20m in length. Jacobs will provide construction management services related to modifications to the plant’s secondary turbine system.
The work scope includes prefabricating piping, pipe supports and modification and replacing piping.
Other works include installing on-site scaffolding, rigging and lagging, as well as modifying and strengthening vessels. Forced air cooler units will also be replaced.
Steam generators at one of the reactors are due to be replaced during a planned outage next January. The full project is expected to take two years.
The current steam generators have been in service since the plant was connected to the national grid in 1984.
Replacing the generators is expected to extend the plant’s operational life from 40 to 60 years.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
