New city power
substations
Work is well
underway with towers
currently going up
for the two new 132
kilovolt substations
for Richards Bay
rrpower1
Ronelle Ramsamy
HAILED as the
largest electrical
capital project in
the history of the
City of uMhlathuze,
work has already
commenced on two new
132 kilovolt
substations for
Richards Bay.
At a total cost of
R48-million, the
City Electrical
Engineer’s
Department has
entered into
contract with
Siemens and NRGF
Power Projects for
the design,
installation and
commissioning of the
two substations and
overhead power
lines.
In an attempt to
extend the City’s
high voltage
backbone, Deputy
City Electrical
Engineer, Dwayne
Baker told the
Zululand Observer
that the substations
would supply energy
to Tata Steel.
‘The first
substation, Phoenix
will be built
alongside the R231
opposite Brackenham
and will supply the
second substation,
Indus.
‘Indus will be
located with the
Tata Steel property
and will supply Tata
Steel with a uniform
80 mega watts of
energy at 132
kilovolts,’ said
Baker.
Aware
With Richards Bay
residents already
noticing the towers
going up, Baker said
earthworks had been
completed at both
substation sites and
work was well
underway.
Baker added that
Phoenix would be
designed with
installed
transformers so that
it would be able to
provide energy in
the future to both
commercial and
residential areas.
Anticipating further
major projects,
Baker said they
would continue to
reinforce their high
voltage backbone to
cater for additional
bulk loads,
including Pulp
United in the
Richards Bay
Industrial
Development Zone
(IDZ) Phase ID.
‘We are excited
about the big
projects and do have
the infrastructure
and will continue to
add and reinforce
our power backbone,
but our only concern
is upstream Eskom’s
ability to supply
the power,’ added
Baker.
The two new
substations are
expected to be
complete within 12
months.
