ESI-AFRICA.COM - 2008

ESI Africa Edition 4, 2008

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 08:41:58 +0100

:NODATE:

Cover story

Southern Power Maintenance — leading experts in installation, maintenance and commissioning of power transformers

Featured articles

Positioning South Africa’s power market

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:18:22 +0100

:NODATE:By Mike King, companiesandmarkets.com

South Africa is now ranked equal fourth within the Middle East & Africa region, alongside Iran, in the updated Power Business Environment rating calculated in the new market industry report. Thanks largely to its significant market size, low level of energy import dependency and reasonably high proportion of renewables usage, South Africa is in a relatively strong position with regard to power generation. However, the power sector is not yet competitive, with little progress towards privatisation. The regulatory environment remains relatively unattractive and while South Africa is currently keeping company with Iran, it has greater potential to break away and move clear over the medium term.

iPAD Central Africa 2008 round table: Awakening the potential of hydropower

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:15:32 +0100

:NODATE:Moderated by Engineer Mutima Sakrini Herman, Energy expert and previous Secretary UPDEA.

iPAD Central Africa 2008 took place in Kinshasa, DRC from the 7th to the 9th of October 2008. A key objective of the event aims to facilitate sound investment and collaboration in the reconstruction of the DRC and a forum for investigating investment opportunities across that country and indeed, the rest of Africa. This year’s event attracted a record number of delegates — over 700 in total — and part of the compelling programme was a round-table discussion focused on the massive potential of hydropower in the region.

Advanced revenue protection teqniques on prepayment meter installations

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:09:42 +0100

:NODATE:By Erik Saayman, Revenue Protection Product Manager, Actaris Measurement & Systems (Pty) Ltd.

The last 10 years has seen a significant increase in the number of pre-payment meter installations, not only in South Africa, but also in the rest of the African continent.

The prepayment meter has become the choice for all medium and low electricity consumers. The benefits of this technology have proven itself, yet it still presents a challenge within the revenue protection context. The prepayment meter will disconnect the electrical supply once credit is depleted. The normal process should be to purchase a token for the value of the electricity required. However the unscrupulous client sees an opportunity to bypass the meter to restore the supply. Like all meter installations prepayment meter installations are thus not immune to tampering.

Power distribution automation

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:00:51 +0100

:NODATE:By Bill Carlyle, BSc CEng MIET, Business Development Manager – Automation, Lucy Switchgear

Progress in the development of suitable products and systems has been very rapid over the last decade, as electricity utilities increasing look to invest in this type of technology. But why invest in such technology in the first place? This article will hopefully explain the business drivers, the technology and, of course, the potential benefits of such an investment.

Automation in Southern Africa

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:57:51 +0100

:NODATE:By Litiya Matakala Frost & Sullivan, industrial automation analyst

Growth projections for the ACS market in
the Southern African power generation sector
Source: Frost & Sullivan

The market for automation and control solutions (ACS) market in the Southern African power generation sector was worth US$47.4 million in 2007 and is estimated to more than triple in size by 2014 to reach US$119.5 million. This huge growth will be driven by both the construction of new plants and the rehabilitation of outdated equipment.

Over-voltage protection of pole-mounted distribution transformers

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:53:54 +0100

:NODATE:INTRODUCTION TO SURGE ARRESTORS
Distribution transformer networks range from 3kv-33kv. The majority being 11kv and 22kv. With respect to surge arrestor protection, the method of over voltage protection for distribution transformers was by surge arresters with air gaps and silicon carbide valve elements. By 1980, MOV gapless zinc oxide arresters were being installed on newer installations. MOV surge arrestors were an advancement in surge arrestor technology in comparison to their silicon carbide predecessors which had porcelain housings, shorter life spans, lesser surge withstand capabilities and didn’t have the same protection integrity from moisture ingress. There were two reliability improvements with the MOV gapless arrestor: firstly the adequacy of protection and secondly a decrease in consequential damage resulting from in-service failure.

Cyber security requirements for energy management

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:38:15 +0100

:NODATE:By George Ngugi, The Kenya Power & Lighting Company and John Pilling, ABB AB, Sweden

Cyber Security is an important issue for the designers of today’s Energy Management Systems (EMS), particularly the National Control Centres which supervise and control the electrical network of a whole country. Sabotage is now a threat to be taken seriously, and the consequences of an interruption to the electricity supply system are severe. KPLC is currently implementing a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition/ Energy Management System (SCADA/EMS) project which will see its EMS system use modern technological tools. The article summarises current recommendations in North America and Europe for the protection of critical cyber assets and looks more closely at the main issues which are relevant in Kenya for the new KPLC EMS. Points covered include Critical Asset definition, Physical and Electronic Security Perimeters and System Security.

Gauteng highways lighting project

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:35:38 +0100

:NODATE:Gauteng, the economic heartland of South Africa, generates nearly 38% of the total value of South Africa’s economic activities. Development in housing, offices, retail and industrial properties has grown significantly over the past 10 years, resulting in above average traffic growth.

Artist impression of the
ONYX 33 installation

Unfortunately, provision of road infrastructure has not kept up with the increased traffic demand, ensuing in a road and freeway network that is over capacity. The over-saturated condition on the freeway network is affecting the quality of life, the productivity of the economy, the development potential of the region and the direct cost of travel.

LED street lights — overview of current trends and possibilities...

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:27:31 +0100

:NODATE:Information provided by Sustainable Energy Africa

Sustainable Energy Africa has recently investigated the state of LED Street Light initiatives internationally as part of a request by eThekweni municipality. LED’s are a new technology, which could provide energy savings of between 30% and 90% over current lighting technologies. Their application in public lighting is still relatively new and being tested. This article provides an overview to the technology, case studies of cities worldwide that are testing the technology, and a brief summary of recommendations to the eThekweni municipality.

Uninteruptible power supplies

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:22:17 +0100

:NODATE:Compiled by Dave Warren, Senior Sales Consultant, Meissner

Eskom’s power supply issues are a major consideration in business circles these days and there can hardly be a user that has not yet been negatively affected by the arbitrary implementation of Eskom’s attempt to deal with peak loads countrywide resulting in installations now facing bigger power threats than ever before. Eskom has implemented a number of measures in an attempt to reduce the country’s ever escalating power consumption. Homeowners were asked to use heating sparingly during winter and businesses are now being called upon to watch the use of air conditioners in summer.

Eskom cogeneration

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:11:02 +0100

:NODATE:By Mobolaji Bello, Industry Association Resource Centre, Dr Clinton Carter-Brown, Eskom and Ron Coney, Kutlwano Engineering Consulting

As a result of the recent shortage of electricity in South Africa and the targets for renewable energy, increasing amounts of embedded generation (EG) are expected to be connected to distribution networks. To accommodate this embedded generation, the existing distribution network should be utilized and developed in an optimal manner. This paper explains the technical constraints faced by EGs connected to the distribution networks, and the methodology for technical evaluation of cogeneration applications under Eskom’s national pilot cogeneration projects. The evaluation methodology used applies to applications for connection to both distribution medium voltage (MV) i.e. 11kV to 33kV and sub-transmission high voltage (HV) networks i.e. 44kV to 132kV.

Hawker Siddeley Electric Africa (PTY) Ltd. — Creating a sustainable value for customers

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 16:02:49 +0100

:NODATE:The power industry in Africa is a growing dynamic industry and faces financing challenges against a huge supply backlog and maintenance requirements. The ten-fold revenue growth of our company over the past five years has been phenomenal and it is an inspiration for us to continue our efforts to add value to our customers, employees, shareholders and the community at large. We also constantly strive to improve products with respect to the escalating costs of raw materials and our delivery commitments.

Transformers into Africa

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:53:11 +0100

:NODATE:The recent successful commissioning of two 150 MVA transformers for Anvil Mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo by a South African company was a complex and instructive mission, involving complex logistics and bureaucracy.

“We have brought many transformers into South Africa, but taking a transformer into the DRC is a completely different ball game, especially in terms of logistics,” Gary Daines, projects director of Zest Electric Motors says.

Transformer failures within Southern Africa

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:22:15 +0100

:NODATE:By L Moodley, K Govender and Y Chinaboo, Doble Engineering Africa

This article presents the use of electrical and oil testing techniques as a diagnostic tool to identify and assess defects and/or failure conditions on power transformers. Three practical case studies are discussed that demonstrate the effectiveness of these techniques. These techniques have been successfully applied within Southern Africa’s electrical utilities for the detection of possible faults and/or problems within a transformer. Three cases studies (from Southern African utilities) are presented in the paper which shows how the diagnostic tools have aided in decisions making.