Eskom’s Koeberg nuclear power station was recently licensed to operate its Unit 1 for another 20 years, with SRK Consulting playing a role in updating the site investigation reports – the Site Safety Report (SSR) required by the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR).
These studies were part of a range of updates undertaken by SRK, that need to be conducted every five to ten years, according to Derry Holmes, principal consultant at SRK Consulting. The work related to Eskom’s Duynefontyn site, where Koeberg is located.
"Our work for Eskom included addressing comments by the NNR on the previous version of the Duynefontyn SSR, as part of the long-term operational licence application for Koeberg", said Holmes. Koeberg’s Unit 1 is one of around 120 reactors worldwide that have safely continued operations beyond their initial 40-year life.
Stringent Standards
Nuclear projects are governed by stringent local and international quality and safety standards, requiring a wide variety of aspects to be monitored, analysed and reported. SRK’s work included technical studies in the fields of hydrology, geohydrology, geotechnology, and meteorology. It also looked at land, water and sea use, ecology, demography, water supply, as well as transport routes, nearby industrial and military facilities.
"Much of the work is conducted by our in-house professionals in specific disciplines, and other aspects are contracted out to specialist associates", he said. “Town planners, for instance, conduct the investigations on demography, land use, water use, adjacent sea use, and nearby transportation, industrial and military facilities”.
The whole life of the nuclear plant must be considered, so it is important to be able to forecast population growth and movement over this expected lifespan, said Holmes.
