ACTOM High Voltage Equipment (HVE) is currently manufacturing 400kV and 132kV High Voltage Primary equipment for the Ummbila Emoyeni wind farm project, located between Bethal and Morgenzon in Mpumalanga.
Once completed, the Ummbila Emoyeni 900MW hybrid renewable energy facility will be the largest facility in South Africa. Work is currently underway on phase 1 of the project, which will see 155MW commissioned by late 2025 or early 2026.
Seriti Green, the climate-change-mitigating subsidiary of coal mining company Seriti Resources, is developing the project. The wind farm forms part of an agreement that will see clean power wheeled through the national grid to meet the carbon neutrality aspirations of Seriti Resources.
ACTOM High Voltage Equipment Divisional CEO Casbah Zwane says the business is supplying high-voltage circuit breakers, disconnectors, instrument transformers, and line traps to the wind farm.
Grid connection
“We are on track with the equipment manufacturing for phase 1 of the project, which is set to be completed by Q2 2025. Our scope of work is to supply high-voltage equipment that will be used for the grid connection of the wind farm. This is for both the ESKOM Main Transmission Substation, where the wind farm eventually connects to, and the ESKOM Distribution Substation, which is used for switching purposes, and we are essentially supplying most of the outdoor transmission and distribution equipment,” says Zwane.
Once the project is completed, Seriti Resources will utilise 75% of the wind farm’s output power to supply its coal mines. The company has yet to decide how the remaining 25% will be used. It is understood, however, that this amount of electricity could power up to about 265,000 South African households. By switching to renewables, the project is also set to cut SeritiResources’ carbon footprint significantly.
“As ACTOM, we are very proud to be associated with this project, given its environmental significance and the fact that it is likely to positively impact climate change. We are equally proud of the fact that it is a very important project in terms of South Africa’s clean energy transition,” says Zwane.
He notes that by supplying equipment to the wind farm project, ACTOM is able to showcase its capabilities not only in South Africa but also beyond the country’s borders.
Engineering and technical skills
“The project enables ACTOM to expose its capabilities to the global markets, in terms of both our engineering and technical skills, and to demonstrate that we have the means and resources to supply projects of this scale. I expect that it will open other avenues for us going forward,” says Zwane.
“We look forward to supporting Seriti and its stakeholders in phases of this project as it ramps up to 900MW. It is an excellent achievement for us to be part of this value chain and project that supports local manufacturing and supply.”
Zwane adds that ACTOM will provide support for the wind farm beyond the life of the current project in the form of after-sales and technical support, which will be provided promptly and efficiently. This is because all the necessary skills and components are in-country and thus close to the project.