/ 24 July 2006

Erwin happy with Koeberg repair job

Minister of Public Enterprises Alec Erwin praised Eskom on Monday for returning the Koeberg nuclear power plant back into service on time.

He also thanked the people of the Western Cape for participating in an energy-saving campaign, ministerial spokesperson Gaynor Kast said in a statement.

On December 25, Koeberg unit one had generator problems caused by a loose bolt that had damaged the rotor and the stator — the stationary part of the motor.

This had resulted in outages in the Western Cape.

In February there were further blackouts due to high pollution levels, misty conditions and multiple line faults.

Of Eskom, the statement read: ”The minister believes such an achievement is an indication of teamwork and highlights the number of competent, technically skilled individuals employed at Eskom.”

He further thanked people in the Western Cape for their patience and understanding.

The findings of a probe into the damage at Koeberg are expected to be presented to Parliament in mid-August. — Sapa