ACTOM WPI is a proud recipient of a Platinum Award, the highest accolade bestowed on them by Gerrit Viljoen, Senior Vice President, Sasol Secunda Operations, for their exceptional work performed under complex and time-sensitive constraints to restore the eMbalenhle substation to operations.
In January 2024, Langverwacht, eMbalenhle’s main substation, experienced a catastrophic electric flash failure. The substation with ACTOM’s SBV4E product range installed feeds the various ring substations to the eMbalenhle township near Secunda.
Established in the 1970s, the eMbalenhle township is located in Govan Mbeki Local Municipality outside Secunda in Mpumalanga and stretches for 19,65 square kilometres. The substation and the township are located in South Africa’s energy belt, highlighting the importance of a reliable electricity supply in this region.
Ryno Oosthuizen, Senior Manager at Sasol Secunda, requested assistance from Marius Lombard, Services Manager at WPI. WPI specialises in repairing, installing, retrofitting, and maintaining electrical networks via MV Switchgear’s After-Sales department and WPI regional branch network, which is technically well-equipped and strategically placed close to the customer base. The WPI team jumped into action to minimise the community’s downtime.
Marnewick Loubser, Branch Manager of WPI in Secunda, and his team rushed to the site to evaluate the damage. They found the main incomer panel no. 1 damaged. They repaired it by first using dry ice to clean away the carbon and ensure the board’s integrity. The team managed a miracle by stripping a spare panel and rebuilding the damaged incomer with the stripped spare parts. Marnewicke took the lead and restored power to the community by 22:00 that evening.
“I received numerous compliments on Marnewicke and his team’s work ethic in this regard, working non-stop through the day and night. From my side, it is only appropriate to also compliment Marnewicke and his team on a job well done. Keep flying the ACTOM WPI flag high”, said Oosthuizen.
This achievement showcases the ACTOM WPI team’s dedication and expertise in delivering high-quality solutions and after-installation services to their clients.
Congratulations to ACTOM WPI on this well-deserved recognition of their hard work and commitment to excellence.