CAPE TOWN - Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter said they were “pro-nuclear” and that’s why the company wanted to extend the lifespan of the Koeberg Power Plant by 20 years.
De Ruyter on Tuesday briefed Parliament about the project that's been experiencing problems.
This followed a recent oversight visit to Koeberg by the National Union of Mineworkers and the parliamentary committees of public enterprises and mineral resources and energy.
Eskom told the joint committee that the steam generator replacement project was a critical enabler to the life extension of the Koeberg Power Station.
This was for an additional 20 years post its original generation life, which is 31 July 2024.
De Ruyter was also questioned about their position on nuclear as the country pursued renewable energy sources.
“Eskom is not anti-nuclear; we are pro-nuclear. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be pursuing this life extension project.”
De Ruyter said Eskom management had identified poor project management and inadequate contract management as contributory factors to the delays in the project.
“It became apparent to the board that projects had been extremely poorly managed,” he said.
The committees announced it would hold a follow-up meeting to discuss issues around the Koeberg project.
