Eveline de Klerk
WALVIS BAY – NamPower has invested in a multi-million-dollar substation in the Erongo region to meet the current and future electricity supply in the region. NamPower last week briefed the media with regards to the ongoing project, the Sekelduin substation, located about 4km from Swakopmund, on the backroad to Walvis Bay.
According to the power utility, the Sekelduin substation is one of the many investments NamPower has made to build, strengthen and maintain the national grid to ensure an efficient, reliable and effective national transmission network.
Speaking at the briefing, chief operating officer of NamPower Fritz Jacobs said Sekelduin is a new 132/66/33kV indoor substation and forms part of the ongoing upgrade of the NamPower bulk electricity supply to Erongo Red.
“This will enable the utility to meet the current and future electricity demands due to socio-economic growth in the region. The substation will become the main transmission supply to the existing NamPower Swakopmund and Tamariskia substations, the NamWater South bulk water supply scheme feeding the new Husab Uranium Mine, and the Erongo Red 33kV medium voltage reticulation,” Jacobs explained.
According to him, the construction cost of Sekelduin substation building is approximately N$65 million, while the design and construction of the two overhead power lines is estimated at N$60 million.
He added installation and commissioning of all high voltage equipment, power transformers and protection as well as automation and control system equipment are estimated at N$180 million. Also speaking at the briefing, Erongo Red CEO Fessor Mbango said they are delighted to see the progress, as the substation is of utmost importance for the regional power distributor.
“It will assist us in meeting the current and future demands as our economy grows, especially with the provision of electricity in Swakopmund and Walvis Bay”, he said. The substation is expected to be completed by January next year, while the two parallel lines will be completed in February 2024.