Members of the Climate Justice Action Group (CJAG) protesting recent developments in nuclear energy in the country.
Given the ongoing controversy around Eskom’s application to extend the life of Koeberg Nuclear Power Station (KNPS) by 20 years past its original decommissioning date, it should be reassuring to know that the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) undertakes emergency preparedness and response drills to ensure public safety if an accident occurs at Koeberg, located just 26km north of Cape Town.
We certainly need this reassurance given the 110-metre crack Eskom reported finding in one of Koeberg’s containment buildings, and numerous other safety concerns revealed in Eskom’s “Safety Case for Long-Term Operation (LTO) of Koeberg Nuclear Power Station” report it submitted to the NNR earlier this year.
This is a report Eskom has tried its best to hide from the public. First by stating that the public had no right to see it, then releasing a highly redacted version after being instructed to do so by the NNR, and only after a Promotion of Access to Information Act (Paia) request and appeal, before finally releasing an unredacted version after a complaint to the Information Regulator and public pressure to do so.
Read the rest of the article here (first published on 12 Feb 2024):
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