The construction of a new electrical substation in Gansbaai will begin in June. This is the largest electrical project ever undertaken in the history of Overstrand Municipality.
The 66kV indoor substation will be located at Birkenhead, just outside Gansbaai towards the Danger Point Lighthouse. The municipality confirmed that construction will cost R64,6 million and the Eskom connection charge R7,4 million.
“The new 66/11kV municipal substation will relieve a lot of strain on the existing substation and will provide adequate capacity for future developments in the area,” said Overstrand Municipal Manager Dean O’Neill.
“The Birkenhead 66/11kV substation project will see the establishment of a new 66 kV Eskom supply point. This will be enabled by the installation of a new 66 kV overhead steel monopole power line from the Eskom metering point to a newly built 66 kV indoor substation with 20 MVA transformer. The project will be completed with the reconfiguration and strengthening of the existing 11 kV network.”
Over the past few years, the Gansbaai area has seen a steady growth in the maximum electricity demand. As it is, approved developments including expansions by existing large electricity customers, indicate a higher need and steeper increase in electricity needs. A single Eskom supply to the Gansbaai Main intake substation and existing network configuration currently limits electricity distribution in the area.
“A recommendation was made to consider the redistribution of existing and future loads to a second supply point,” O’Neill stated. “It was further recommended that the second supply point be taken at the higher intake voltage of 66 kV to enable distribution closer to the envisaged future load centre, before being stepped down to 11 kV.”
Part of the project requirements include that 30% of the construction value be subcontracted to Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSEs) and Exempt Micro Enterprises (EMEs) that are registered on the Central Supplier Database, which will aid in skills development and the use of local labour.