Cape Town:Eskom's Koeberg Power Station Unit 1 has successfully returned to service after the completion of necessary recovery activities.

According to South African Government News Agency, on 16 October 2026, an electrical disturbance during testing activities for the planned maintenance of Koeberg Unit 2 triggered an automatic shutdown of Unit 1. The incident was due to an electrical disturbance exceeding the predefined tolerance limits of a protection system, leading to the opening of the unit's 400 kV and 24 kV breakers.

The investigation revealed that a conservative protection relay setting contributed to the incident. The protection system operated as designed to safely shut down the unit, ensuring the continued safe operation of the plant. Eskom stated on social media platform X that there was no impact on nuclear safety, and Unit 1 at the Western Cape-based power station is now stable and synchronised to the grid.

The successful return of Unit 1 highlights the coordinated efforts and commitment of the Koeberg teams responsible for the recovery and restoration activities. Meanwhile, Unit 2 at the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station remains in planned maintenance.