City Power has finally heeded the call to save Roodepoort substations and have allocated R500 million to do so, the utility said.
Unfortunately, it will take them three years to do the upgrades to six local substations; Roodepoort, Wilro Park, Kloofendal, New Fleurhof, Tshepisong and Princess.
All substations in the distribution network will in the next three years be upgraded from the current 33/6.6kW to 88/11KW, City of Johannesburg’s (CoJ’s) MMC for Environment and Infrastructure Services, Matshidiso Mfikoe, said. The existing network is more than 40 years old and has reached the end of its useful life.
“As a result, there is limited capacity to meet increased power demand in Region C,” Mfikoe in a press statement said.
“The timing is crucial; growth in the designated supply areas have substantially increased without any significant upgrade to the ageing electricity infrastructure.”
On completion, the upgrade will mean 1 000MVA will be added to the utility’s current capacity in the area.
City Power managing director Sicelo Xulu said the changes to be implemented will include:
• Replacing the 33kW busbar at Kloofendal
• Upgrading Wilro Park feeders from 33kW to 88kW
• Replacing existing 88/33kW 80MVA and 88/11kW 20MVA power transformer with two new 88/11kW 45MVA ones
• Allocating space for a third 88/11kW power transformer, two 88kW feeder bays and 11kW feeder and standby board
• Removing two 88kW feeders from Sentraal substation, which have become redundant
• Upgrading of 88kW single busbar to a double busbar with a single buscoupler
• Removing 33kW feeders to Ontdekkers substation
IMG_3330
Ward 85 and 71 councillors Carl Mann and Gert Niemand at a struggling substation in Pannevis Street, Princess that has been heavily affected by illegal and dangerous connections. Photo: Mathilde Myburgh.
Want to receive news alerts via WhatsApp? Send us an SMS/ WhatsApp message with your name and cellphone number to 079 414 6709.
Familiarise yourself with our WhatsApp service disclaimer.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.
For free daily local news on the West Rand, also visit our sister newspaper websites Randfontein Herald, Krugersdorp News and Get It Joburg West Magazine
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages to let your voice be heard!
