He said after and assessment by Eskom (the blackout specialists) and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) if we assume the worst, plans to address the issues must be in place.
Japan’s Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant was crippled by the devastating 11 March earthquake and ensuing tsunami that struck the Pacific coastal areas of north-eastern and eastern Japan. The country raised the severity level of the accident at the facility to seven, the worst on an international scale.
Following the incident, the NNR instructed both Eskom and Necsa to conduct safety reassessment reports of their nuclear plants namely Koeberg and the Necsa-owned Safari 1 tank-in-pool type materials testing reactor in Pelindaba.
“The nuclear installations at both Necsa and Eskom facilities are adequately designed, maintained and operated to withstand all external natural events considered in the original design base,” Mkhize said.
