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South Africa's Koeberg nuclear plant has 'contamination' events
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- South Africa’s National Nuclear Regulator reported no radioactive material leaked into the environment during three recent contamination events at the Koeberg Power Station, Africa’s only commercial nuclear facility.
- The incidents involved elevated airborne radioactive contamination inside the plant due to a loss of power to ventilation units during maintenance, but were contained on-site with no danger to the public.
- Workers potentially exposed to contamination were screened and found to have radioactivity levels below that of a dental X-ray, and the events did not qualify as nuclear or radiological emergencies.
- Koeberg, located near Cape Town, generates about 5% of South Africa’s electricity and recently received 20-year life extensions for its reactors, with plans underway to expand nuclear capacity to address the country’s energy challenges.
- Other African countries, including Egypt, are also developing nuclear power projects to meet growing energy demands despite historical safety concerns associated with nuclear energy.
