South Africa reports limited radioactive contamination at Koeberg nuclear power plant

Cape Town – 19.07.2026: South African authorities have given the public the all-clear after three incidents involving elevated radioactive air contamination at the Koeberg nuclear power plant. The incidents occurred during planned maintenance work on Unit 2 of the facility north of Cape Town. According to the National Nuclear Regulator, no radioactive material was released into the environment. The authority is nevertheless continuing to investigate the circumstances.

Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said on Sunday that the measured contamination had remained limited to the shielded area of the reactor building. A power interruption affected ventilation systems supplying temporary work tents during the maintenance work. This led to elevated airborne readings within the controlled area. According to the government, there is no danger to residents in the surrounding area.

The three separate incidents were recorded on June 30 and July 2 and 7. Affected employees were checked and medically documented. The nuclear regulator said that the identified exposures among potentially affected workers had been very low. In its preliminary assessment, the incidents did not reach the threshold of a nuclear or radiological emergency and had no consequences beyond the power plant site.

Eskom, the state operator of Koeberg, likewise pointed out that the readings had been detected within the maintenance area. The company’s chair, Mteto Nyati, stressed during a briefing that the facility has protection and monitoring systems for such work. According to authorities, the current investigation is intended to clarify why the power interruption impaired ventilation in the maintenance areas and what additional precautions are required.

Koeberg is the only commercial nuclear power plant on the African continent and has two reactor units. The facility supplies an important, though limited, share of South Africa’s electricity. The incident comes at a time when Pretoria is advancing the expansion of nuclear energy as part of its long-term energy planning. Ramokgopa and Eskom reaffirmed on July 19 that plans for additional nuclear capacity would continue.

In their assessment, the authorities distinguish between contamination within controlled facility zones and the release of radioactive substances into the surrounding environment. In the current case, both the regulator and the government said there was no evidence of an external release. Regardless, the technical investigation remains relevant: it is intended to ensure that ventilation and work procedures during future maintenance are adequately protected even in the event of power outages.