Energy analyst, consultant, electrical engineer, public speaker, writer and MD at EE Business Intelligence (Pty) Ltd.
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2/ "As nuclear professionals we should know when to stop & re-assess our actions in interests of both conventional & nuclear safety. In light of this, we have had to implement a work stop following a significant incident, which could have resulted in us losing the running unit.
@DMRE_ZA @GwedeMantashe1 @NucRegSA Peter Becker was suspended as an @NucRegSA board member a few weeks ago, very shortly before an NNR board meeting that formally approved @Eskom_SA's safety case for the replacement of 6 steam generators at Eskom's Koeberg nuclear power station, thus allowing Eskom to proceed.
@Eskom_SA @NERSA_ZA BUT, in all likelihood, depending on the outcome of a pending appeal by @NERSA_ZA to the Supreme Court of Appeal, there may be FURTHER electricity price increases, the quantum, timing and phasing of which is still unknown.
The actions against civil society NNR board member Peter Becker by the NNR yesterday come a day prior to Eskom receiving the green light today from the NNR to proceed with replacement of the reactor head and 3 steam generators on Unit 2 at Eskom's Koeberg nuclear power station,
1. Because the old Eskom generation plant is getting older every year, and there are diminishing returns and increased costs to maintain end-of-life plant required to operate flat out like work-horses.
I have it on reliable authority that there was an internal hydrogen explosion within the 800 MW generator of #Eskom #Medupi Unit 4, the ends of the generator have been blow off, the generator is destroyed, and it will have to be replaced. This is a massive setback.
@necsa_Ltd @DavidNi79646904 @Energy_ZA @GwedeMantashe1 Mineral & @Energy_ZA minister @GwedeMantashe1 says that he is not a member of the @necsa_Ltd board, & is unaware of the details, but that this matter was raised with him today by NECSA chairman @DavidNi79646904, & a meeting to address this has been scheduled for next week. 
@Eskom_SA In reality, there was nothing wrong with the pump. It tripped out as it should when there was a low water level in the suction inlet pit, caused by an ingress of marine life to the inlet drum screen, which tripped due to high torque, resulting in the low suction pit water level.
@necsa_Ltd The letter reveals that SA nuclear corporation @necsa_Ltd has been making massive operating losses since 2014, which have deteriorated over the years, & has resulted in various ring-fenced funds being irregularly used to meet operating expenses, including salaries. 
@Eskom_SA Other staff at Medupi have been dismissed by @Eskom_SA generation head Bheki Nxumalo for negligence in what Eskom COO Jan Oberholzer calls "consequence management" following a number of major problems at Medupi that contributed to the loadshedding last week.
@Eskom_SA Jan Oberholzer seemed somewhat spooked by environmental threats & he castigated Eskom for failing to make progress since 2010 on compliance with the air quality minimum emission standards (MES) of SA. For 1st time, "Reduce Emissions" is added to Eskom's 9-point recovery plan. 
@Eskom_SA The document presented by Eskom acting CEO Jabu Mabuza says that @Eskom_SA is in a utility death spiral with an outdated business model, with operational and structural inefficiencies, and a lack of transparency, in a rapidly changing in energy landscape.
@Eskom_SA Medupi:
@groundWorkSA @CentreEnvRights @environmentza @CyrilRamaphosa @eskom @SasolSA The weakening of SO2 emission standards gazetted by the @environmentza would allow all coal-fired boilers to emit double their previously-allowed SO2 pollution from 1 April 2020. This includes the already heavily-polluted Vaal, Highveld and Waterberg Priority Areas.
Short-term quick-win solutions to current loadshedding: