Kangas Wind Farm's Groeipunt transmission substation
Kangas Wind Farm reported last week that construction of the Groeipunt transmission substation was 80% complete and on track to be handed over to State-owned power utility Eskom in March.
The construction of the substation started in June and marked the first time that an independent power producer in South Africa had taken on the responsibility of a greenfield self-build transmission substation, which would normally be done by State-owned energy utility Eskom.
The Groeipunt substation is located 50 km from Springbok, in the Northern Cape.
The work completed to date includes civil works and turbine components, while 61 turbines have been lifted.
All 610 components are expected to be on site by February.
The handover of the 160 MVA transformer will be done by the end of January, followed by the 250 MVA transformer handover scheduled for late February.
“Once the two major transformers are installed and all Pad Mount transformers are in place, commissioning and testing will start on completed circuits, while the final erection of turbines will continue in remaining circuits, followed by Grid Code compliance testing,” Kangas construction project manager Manie Kotze said in a statement released last week.
He said the substation was expected to reach commercial operation in late August 2020.