ABB has won an order worth $53 million from the South African power utility Eskom, to strengthen the transmission network in the Western Cape region.
The company will design, manufacture, install and commission six 765-kilovolt capacitor banks at Alpha, Beta, Mercury and Perseus substations. The installations, which form part of an initiative to increase power capacity in Cape Town and surrounding areas will allow Eskom more flexibility and reduce its reliance on the existing Koeberg Power Station. The compensators used in the project are part of a family of technologies known as flexible alternating current transmission systems (FACTS).
The order was booked in the fourth quarter of 2008 and is expected to be completed by 2010.
“ABB’s FACTS technology allows more power to be delivered more efficiently using existing infrastructure,” said Peter Leupp, head of ABB’s Power Systems division. “This reduces the need to build additional transmission lines, lowering environmental impact and minimising cost.”
The project includes ABB’s Mach2 technology, which is an advanced control and protection system, and the most widely applied platform for high voltage direct current (HVDC) and FACTS solutions, which brings the benefit of fast, flexible, realtime control. Fuse-less capacitor units and high-speed bypass switches will further increase system reliability.
“This project offers ABB the scope to again partner with Eskom to achieve its priority on the delivery of efficient power,” says Carlos Pone, CEO of ABB in South Africa.
Reinstatement opportunity for ECSA registration
News
In 2023 the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) announced a special opportunity for engineers in South Africa to reinstate their registration status if it had been cancelled. This exclusive offer is available until the end of August 2024.
Read more...100 years of safety leadership
News
DEKRA Industrial and its adult-based education and occupational skills training division, the Institute of Learning (IOL) will showcase a milestone at A-OSH 2025, as the company celebrates DEKRA Global’s 100 years of safety leadership.
Read more...Drakenstein Municipality aces Schneider Electric’s Sustainability Impact Award Schneider Electric South Africa
News
Drakenstein Municipality in the Western Cape has won a Sustainability Impact Award for Schneider Electric’s Anglophone Africa region, shining the spotlight on its unwavering commitment to sustainable leadership and its forward-thinking approach to ensuring a sustainable future for its coming generations.
Read more...Comtest calibration user group seminar Comtest
News
Comtest invites metrology and calibration professionals to a focused technical seminar series aimed at demystifying some of the most common hurdles in inter-laboratory comparisons.
Read more...Functional safety explained
News
The SAIMC supports Pepperl+Fuchs, a National Member, in a free four-part online seminar series focused on Functional Safety.
Read more...The future of manufacturing in Africa
News
The future and development of African manufacturing will be discussed extensively at the upcoming Manufacturing Indaba conference, to be hosted on 15 to 16 July 2025 at Johannesburg’s Sandton Convention Centre.
Read more...Hot topics at IFAT Africa and analytica Lab Africa 2025
News
Burning issues such as climate-smart infrastructure, sustainability in waste and water management, the circular economy and Extended Producer Responsibility will come under discussion at the three-day conference and forum presented by analytica Lab Africa and IFAT Africa at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg from 8 to 10 July 2025.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, the publisher and its agents cannot be held responsible for any errors contained, or any loss incurred as a result. Articles published do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. The editor reserves the right to alter or cut copy. Articles submitted are deemed to have been cleared for publication. Advertisements and company contact details are published as provided by the advertiser. Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd cannot be held responsible for the accuracy or veracity of supplied material.
printer friendly version