A Special Task Team from NamPower, consisting of 30 technical experts in various fields will depart for Calueque in Angola to work on the refurbishment and upgrade of the Calueque substation at the Calueque Dam. NamPower, in conjunction with NamWate,r is upgrading the Calueque substation from a 3MVA 66/3.3 kV to a 5MVA 66/6.6 kV (N-1) transformer capacity. 

The upgrade has been necessitated by an increase in demand as a result of the newly- installed pumps of Angola’s Gabhic, the managers of the Kunene River Basin.

The exercise will cost NamWater N$38 million, of which NamPower contributed N$10 million as a goodwill gesture towards an interim substation, which currently supplies Gabhic and is available for commissioning the permanent pumps.

The Calueque Dam is situated approximately 20km north of the Mahenene border post in Angola, and 25km upstream from Ruacana Power Station on the Kunene River. Currently, NamWater is making use of a 3 MVA 66/3.3 kV supply point at the Calueque substation, which is NamPower-owned and operated. The NamWater pumps supply the water canal in the northern parts of Namibia.

NamPower has already positioned two 5 MVA 66/6.6 kV transformers on their respective plinths, and developed 90% of the 6.6 kV feeder base within the Calueque substation in Angola. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic had a negative impact on the completion of the project.

During the send-off ceremony of the technical team, NamPower’s Executive for Transmission Braam Vermeulen thanked the group for availing themselves to work far away from their families and loved ones. “Some of the scope of work is not aligned to your job descriptions, but you have availed yourselves,” Vermeulen said. He emphasised that NamPower’s greatest assets are its people, and they should be valued for the essential work that they do for the company and the Namibian nation at large.

The Calueque refurbishment project will commence on 13 September and run until 4 October 2022.