Agricultural company Senwes and electric equipment multinational Schneider Electric have partnered on a substation upgrade project to ensure Senwes has accessible, advanced and stable electricity supply.

Senwes’ head office, in Klerksdorp, in the North West, had been experiencing energy supply issues owing to aging infrastructure, which included faulty switchgear of its dedicated substations.

The substation is owned by the City of Matlosana.

To remedy the issue, Senwes and engineering company Motla Consulting Engineers decided to upgrade and move the substation to ensure its Klerksdorp offices and surrounds benefit from safe and efficient energy supply based on advanced technology that can be managed from outside the confines of a building.

Further, digitalistion using connected devices has been identified by Senwes and Motla as one of the key development areas for any new installations.

“The Internet of Things is the direction for the future where business value is unlocked by analysing and using information to make the business more efficient and profitable," says Motla MD Chris Lombard.

Motla has been supporting Senwes in a strategic technology development partnership for many years. Schneider Electric is a long-term technology development partner for Senwes and was the technology supplier for this project.

“Following extensive negotiations with the City of Matlosana, it was decided to not only upgrade the substation, but also move it to a safer environment. Senwes’ basement at its Klerksdorp offices offered a safe and practical choice,” says Schneider Electric Power Systems Division application design engineer Llewellyn Bakker.

The current aging substation was moved safely. The project rollout on site was executed by Einstein Electrical. It took 80 days for the complete installation of the substation with a Premset medium-voltage switchgear solution from Schneider Electric.

“New, advanced equipment was installed and made future-ready, enabling Senwes to, among others, access switchgear from outside the substation. This enables Senwes to constantly monitor power ratings and substation conditions,” says Schneider Electric Power Systems Division project and application designer Thabang Pitso.

“With the newly installed equipment, we have significantly reduced the risks for safety, reliability and consequential damages associated with the old switchgear.  We now also have better monitoring and operating capabilities with the connected switching devices,” adds Senwes electrical engineer Johann Becker.