Recent reports indicate that multiple workers at the Koeberg Nuclear Power Plant in South Africa have experienced radiation exposure during maintenance activities, with three incidents occurring on June 30, July 2, and July 7. This information was provided by Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, the Minister of Energy, according to DPA.
Official statements confirm that the radiation leaks were minimal, and no radioactive materials made it into the surrounding environment. Local communities were not at risk at any time, Ramokgopa assured.
Located approximately 30 kilometers north of Cape Town, the plant faced power outages that disrupted its ventilation systems, leading to these incidents.
Ramokgopa noted that the levels of radiation received by the workers were lower than those experienced during a standard dental X-ray.
Velaphi Ntuli, head of the South African Nuclear Regulatory Authority, stated that the incidents did not reach the threshold that would necessitate reporting them as significant occurrences.
The government in Pretoria maintains that nuclear energy will remain essential for electricity production in South Africa, which has faced severe energy shortages and extensive power cuts in recent years. The country is heavily reliant on coal-fired power plants, with a goal to reduce fossil fuel dependency significantly by 2050.
