SEC is in the process of building four new depots to help improve our turn-around time and meet our customers’ needs. So far, we have been able to secure land for these projects at Madlangemphisi and Sithobela areas. We are still working on securing pieces of land at Lobamba/Zulwini and Mankayane. Nonetheless, work continues as the projects have clear time-lines. A typical depot has been designed and circulated to the stakeholders for comments. Tendering is being effected and contractors have already been shown the sites where the depots will be constructed.

Alongside the depots, land has been secured for the building of substations at Nkhaba, and negotiations for land in Siphofaneni are still going on. The project has started in Nkhaba following the sod-cutting ceremony on the 28th October 2011. The contractor has procured all long lead items and will be moving to site in January 2012.

Construction of Mayiwane 66/11kV substation has been completed and switching on into the local grid was done on the 13th December, 2011. The substation is powered from an overhead line from Sihhoye, which will was constructed on galvanized steel monopoles covering about 20kms. The substation will strengthen power supply in the Mayiwane area and also provide stable electricity supply to benefit areas such as Mkhuzweni, Buhleni, Ndlalambi, Mayiwane, Msahweni, Ngonini Estate and others along the Pigg’s Peak – Matsamo Border Post stretch. Included in the design of the substation is a system to enable remote monitoring and control of the station from national control centre. It is also equipped with a 10MVA 66/11kV transformer unit, which will also work as a back-up for the Pigg’s Peak and Balegane substations during emergencies. Construction of the station started on the 3rd December, 2010.

Another notable project is the official signing of the contract between SEC and ISTE Powertech to implement the SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) project. Implementation of this project will be spread over a period of just more than two years. The project will address the replacement of the present Central Station for the SEC SCADA system. This means that all the equipment in the various sites will be able to communicate with the new central station. The reason for the replacement is that the current system is now old, having been in existence for almost 11 years now. This is a computer-based system and, as such, it is already obsolete and sourcing of spares is a challenge. The new system will come with additional facilities to help monitor and control the 11kV network. We have also been informed of the customer interface module that exists in the new system, which will enable technicians to link customers’ parts of the network depending on their locations.

SEC is about to embark on a power factor correction project, which will enhance the operation of the system. A study that we have just completed indicates that the system is loaded with reactive power (VARs), especially in the eastern network. This situation causes unnecessary overloading and results in poor voltage levels. The study has further shown that all the transformers will tap up to correct the system voltage, and work under extreme stress. The correction exercise will be to ensure that the system is less stressed, the voltage is improved and the losses (technical) are minimized. Such systems have a high impact on revenue-saving and the payback period is normally short.

The use of the earthing wire to improve the Basic Insulation Level (BIL) on the 11kV system is now being employed countrywide. Most depots have adopted the system and also our contractors have been trained on how to apply the system correctly.

The contractor has completed casting the foundations for equipment and it is expected that all foundations will be completed before the Christmas break. The substation civil works is scheduled for completion at the end of March 2012, disregarding inclement weather. The substation will be ready for commissioning in April 2012.

The construction of the transmission line is 95% complete against 100% planned for completion. The delay has been due to requirement to comply with new blasting regulations in the country. Stringing of all conductors is complete and the stringing of the OPGW will be completed by the 12th December 2011. The line has been constructed in manner that reduces environmental impacts including bird perching peak at every single monopole structure.