Mandate

Performs activities relating to the optimal operation and maintenance of Eskom’s nuclear generation assets over their full plant lifecycle.

Highlights	Future priorities
Successfully upgraded many control systems at Koeberg Replaced the turbine centreline on unit 1 resulting in a slight increase in efficiency Successfully completed ISO 14001 certification audit Issued the environmental impact assessment for public review for the Nuclear-1 project Acknowledgement in the policy adjusted IRP of 25 March 2011 of nuclear as a CO2 mitigation strategy.	Reviewing the lessons learned from the Fukushima incident, and incorporating where applicable to Koeberg.
Challenges
Improved performance of Koeberg nuclear power station as measured by the INPO index curtailed by two significant forced outages immediately following a refuelling outage Relatively high volume of low-level radiological waste due to major projects and dose reduction initiatives at Koeberg power station.

 

Overview

The Nuclear division provides nuclear energy from one nuclear plant in accordance with world-class nuclear safety and technical performance requirements.

The focus on reducing worker collective radiation exposure continues after the successes achieved in 2010. The internal contamination incident during outage 118 resulted in a policy change where no work will be conducted if the risk of internal contamination exists. No regulatory limits were exceeded as a result of this incident.

Nuclear undertook nuclear awareness activities through various media, community forum initiatives and communication strategies. The division also provided support to the government on the future nuclear programme.

Benchmarking

Eskom actively participates in the international nuclear domain through its affiliation to the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO), the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This participation facilitates benchmarking of performance, periodic safety reviews, definition of standards, dissemination of best practices and training of industry personnel. Eskom remains a member of the European Mutual Association for Nuclear Insurance and uses this membership to reduce the cost of insurance for the business and to network with other nuclear utilities on common risk and insurance issues.

The World Association of Nuclear Operators currently uses 13 performance indicators (this international benchmark is in calendar years).

Koeberg 12-month unit capability factor (UCF) vs. the median, best quartile and worst quartile for the 265 pressurised water reactor (PWR) units worldwide.

A group of school children learn more about nuclear energy at the
Koeberg visitor centre.

 

Koeberg 12-month unit capability factor (UCF) vs. the median, best quartile and worst quartile for the 265 pressurised water reactor (PWR) units worldwide.

 

The unit capability factor has shown a significant improvement mostly due to a reduction in planned capability loss factor (PCLF) vs. the previous year (where following refuelling outage 117, unit 1 started up with an intermittent rotor earth fault, requiring an additional planned outage).

Koeberg 12-month unplanned capability loss factor (UCLF) vs. the median, best quartile and worst quartile for the 265 pressurised water reactor (PWR) units worldwide.

 

The deterioration through 2010, from close to median to worst quartile is due to two consecutive forced outages following refuelling outage 118. The first was due to commissioning problems following a turbine retrofit, the second, due to failure of a newly reloaded fuel assembly.

Koeberg 12-month unplanned automatic scrams per 7 000 hours (UA7) vs. the median, best quartile and worst quartile for the 265 pressurised water reactor (PWR) units worldwide.

 

The benchmark median and best quartiles are both zero for the period under review. Koeberg’s performance for the last five years has been one scram per year, the last in April 2010 due to an external event (loss of the 400kV grid).

Koeberg 12-month collective radiation exposure (CRE) vs. the median, best quartile and worst quartile for the 265 pressurised water reactor (PWR) units worldwide.

 

Koeberg made a step-change improvement in CRE compared to previous years.

Koeberg INPO index vs. the median, best quartile and worst quartile for the 128 units that are members of WANO Atlanta Centre. This sample includes various reactor types.

 

The Institute of Nuclear Power Operations index is published for the World Association of Nuclear Operators Atlanta Centre only, and uses 10 World Association of Nuclear Operators performance indicators to measure the overall performance of a nuclear unit. A 100% score is when the United States industry targets for all 10 indicators are achieved. The scoring shown is performance against the United States nuclear industry’s 2010 goals. Koeberg’s performance versus the previous year has not shown any improvement mainly due to the two forced shutdowns following refuelling outage 118 (see UCLF comments), and the impact of the leaking fuel assembly.