Electricity and Control September 2024

TRANSFORMERS, SUBSTATIONS + CABLES

Progressing implementation of the TDP The NationalTransmission Company of South Africa – NTCSA – formerly theTransmission Division of Eskom, is making progress on several fronts in implementing the rollout of infrastructure development as set out in theTransmission Development Plan.

Segomoco Scheppers, Interim CEO of the NTCSA.

I n late June Eskom announced it had appointed a panel of five selected transformer suppliers to tender for upcoming transformer contracts which, as part of the Transmission Development Plan (TDP), will enable grid connection for significant new generation capacity and support access to reliable electricity transmission across the country. More recently, Engineering News has reported (5 August 2024) that following the completion of an internal due diligence process, Eskom released the names of the companies selected; they are confirmed as Hitachi Energy South Africa, Hyosung South Africa, Siemens Energy South Africa, the SPECO & Changzhou Toshiba Joint Venture, and WEG Electric in South Africa. Most of the suppliers are local with an international footprint. The Transmission Development Plan indicates that over the next 10 years, 101 large-scale and various other sizes of transformers will be required for the rollout of infrastruc ture build. A tender for the first 26 power transformers was issued in April and this first batch of large-scale transformers, with a total contract value of some R7 billion, is to be delivered to the NTCSA over the next four years, between 12 and 36 months from the placement of orders. They will help to meet the urgent need to increase transmission capacity for customers as well as independent power producers and, in turn, contribute to the country’s economic growth. Segomoco Scheppers, formerly Managing Director for Transmission at Eskom and now the Interim CEO of the newly established National Transmission Company of South

Africa, (NTCSA) has said: “The aim is to connect 53 GW of new generation capacity over the next ten years. To achieve this, innovative project delivery models and partnerships are being explored and implemented to drive accelerated delivery of the TDP, including a priority programme for stra tegic projects.” Localisation strategy The NTCSA has designed a framework agreement to pro cure the full scope of 101 transformers from the selected suppliers, initially addressing the demand up to the end of the 2028 financial year. The contracting strategy is de signed to allow for efficient procurement processes, to maintain and strengthen governance, promote localisation and reduce lead times, in order to deliver on the TDP re quirements. The 26 power transformers that make up the first priority project will enable the delivery of some 28 GW of electrical energy. Eskom has indicated that going forward it will call for higher levels of local content as the supply chain becomes more established in South Africa. However, Scheppers has noted a lack of local capacity for the supply of 400/132 kV transformers, and it is hoped that the original equipment manufacturers selected as suppliers will look to develop this capacity over time. The NTCSA has overall accredited 22 factories, locally and internationally, for various classes of transformers to meet the requirements of the TDP as it is implemented. Scheppers has also flagged as a concern South Africa’s current steel fabrication capacity, in view of the need for steel towers that will be required for the rollout of 14 000 km of new powerlines as indicated in the TDP. This will need additional capacity. TDP priority programmes The overall transformer contract includes a list of 34 trans formers that form part of two priority programmes to ac celerate the delivery of the transmission infrastructure. The first 25 projects at existing substations will provide addi tional transformers to unlock 13 000 MW of new generation capacity. Secondly, 22 expedited transmission projects will unlock 24 000 MW of grid connection capacity. In summary, the NTCSA is developing 47 projects that have the potential to unlock 37 GW of grid connection capacity between 2025 and 2033. The projects are at different stages of implemen tation in terms of design, procurement, and construction. They form part of the major infrastructure rollout which is being undertaken by the NTCSA as set out in the TDP

New transmission infrastructure will add substantial grid connection capacity and extend power lines by 2033.

20 Electricity + Control SEPTEMBER 2024