Siemens South Africa has announced the localisation of its 8DA gas-insulated medium-voltage switchgear manufacturing for the South African market, in partnership with Private National Grid (PNG), marking a significant milestone in strengthening the country’s energy infrastructure and industrial base.

Private National Grid (PNG) is a specialised South African electrical engineering firm with expertise in high-voltage engineering, substation automation, and control plant design. As a technical services provider, Value-Added Reseller (VAR) and specialist contractor for Siemens South Africa, PNG plays a key role in delivering solutions for Independent Power Producer (IPP) projects, supporting the evolving energy landscape.

The Siemens 8DA is a compact, factory-assembled and type-tested switchgear system designed for primary power distribution up to 40.5 kV. Engineered for reliability, safety, and minimal maintenance, the technology delivers long service life and robust performance across utilities, industrial applications, and infrastructure environments.

By localising production of its 8DA switchgear, Siemens is bringing advanced grid technology closer to the market, strengthening supply chain resilience, reducing lead times, and increasing local content in critical energy infrastructure. The initiative supports South Africa’s industrial development priorities by expanding domestic manufacturing capacity, enabling skills development and technology transfer, and contributing to sustainable job creation within the energy sector.

This move also aligns with the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM), which promotes industrialisation of energy value chains and targets significant job creation as part of the country’s energy transition.

Strengthening grid resilience for transforming energy system

South Africa’s electricity system is undergoing rapid transformation, with increasing participation from private sector players and the growing integration of renewable energy generation. This shift requires modern, flexible, and reliable grid infrastructure.

The 8DA switchgear supports these requirements through:

• A compact, gas-insulated design suitable for space-constrained environments
• Maintenance-free operation with hermetically sealed components
• High operational safety and reliability for critical distribution networks
• Long service life of up to 35 years, ensuring lifecycle efficiency

In partnership with Private National Grid - whose expertise spans medium and high-voltage systems, substation automation, and IPP project delivery - Siemens is contributing to the development of a more decentralised, resilient, and future-ready energy system capable of supporting both traditional utilities and emerging independent power producers.

“Local manufacturing is a critical enabler of South Africa’s energy transition and long-term economic resilience. By adding value to advanced technologies such as our 8DA switchgear within the country, we are strengthening local industry, accelerating skills development, and ensuring that the benefits of energy infrastructure investment are shared more broadly across society.

Partnerships such as this demonstrate how innovation, collaboration, and localisation can work together to build a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable energy future,” said Sabine Dall’Omo, CEO of Siemens Sub-Saharan Africa.

“As a specialised engineering partner focused on high-voltage systems and IPP project delivery, PNG is proud to collaborate with Siemens in localising advanced grid technologies. This partnership enables us to combine global innovation with local expertise – enhancing grid reliability, supporting faster project execution, and contributing meaningfully to South Africa’s industrial growth and energy transition,” added Willie Burger Co-CEO of Private National Grid.

Localising advanced grid technologies such as the 8DA supports South Africa’s Just Energy Transition by ensuring that the move toward a lower-carbon energy system delivers both environmental and socio-economic value. With growing demand for reliable electricity, grid expansion and modernisation remain central to energy security, renewable integration, and long-term economic growth, placing increased importance on locally manufactured, high-performance infrastructure. As a longstanding partner in South Africa’s development, Siemens continues to combine global innovation with local expertise, with the localisation of the 8DA switchgear reinforcing its commitment to delivering sustainable, long-term impact.