OREANDA-NEWS. ABB provides the largest installation of gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) in Africa to enhance power reliability in Johannesburg.

As growing urban center, Johannesburg’s power demands have substantially increased as its economy and population have grown. Investments have been made in building newer power infrastructure and upgrading existing installations, to provide reliable electricity to its people. Currently, over nine million people live in and around Johannesburg and, by 2030, the UN expects this to grow to over 11.5 million people.

The Sebenza substation, operated by City Power, a municipal utility owned by the City of Johannesburg, forms an integral part of the infrastructure development being witnessed by the metropolis. The Sebenza substation will help deliver the 30 percent additional electricity expected to be brought in to the grid. It is also expected to serve as the new interconnection point for Johannesburg’s north-eastern region and the national transmission grid. In addition to supporting the increase in power capacity, it will also strengthen the reliability and stability of the grid.

The Sebenza substation includes 38 bays of 132 kilovolt (kV) gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) from ABB, the largest installation of GIS at this voltage level to be commissioned in Africa. Further supplies at the substation from ABB include 132 kV, 275 kV and 400 kV circuit breakers, surge arresters and point-of-wave controllers that remove electrical transients in the network. ABB will supply the equipment to Consolidated Power Projects (CONCO), an engineering, procurement and construction, company who is executing the overall project.