The power utility revealed that Barkadien had informed Eskom of his resignation earlier this year and is now nearing the end of the notice period specified in his contract. He will be replaced by Keith Featherstone, a long-standing nuclear executive with over 30 years of experience. Featherstone also previously served as a manager at the Koeberg nuclear power station and will act as Eskom’s chief nuclear officer while it looks for a permanent replacement.

Another change to the power utility’s workforce will see the acting general manager at Koeberg power station, Nomawetu Mtwebana, join the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) as a reverse loanee. Mtwebana will be leaving shortly after the completion of the current outage of Unit 2 in July to take up her position as a peer reviewer with WANO in Atlanta in the US. Eskom said Mtwebane would then bring her learning experience back to Koeberg.

Mahesh Valaitham, a long-standing Senior Manager with over 27 years of nuclear power plant experience, will be filling Mtwebana’s role in an acting capacity. “I wish to assure the people of South Africa and fellow Guardians at Eskom that the organisation has access to sufficiently experienced and competent executive team to continue ensuring a safe and smooth operation at Africa’s only nuclear power station,” Eskom COO Jan Oberholzer said.