INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Green Technology
Loeriesfontein Wind Farm
connects mobile transformer
The Loeriesfontein Wind Farm under construction
L
oeriesfontein Wind Farm, in the
northern Cape, has been making
use of a mobile transformer to
allow for early commissioning of
turbines, prior to the energisation of
the new extensions at Eskom’s Helios
Substation, which is the permanent grid
connection access point.
The mobile transformer will provide
a temporary supply to the project to
expedite commissioning and testing
of turbines to ensure the wind farm
is fully operational by the contractual
commercial operation date. By expediting
the turbine commissioning, more time
is available for grid code testing, which
is critical to the successful completion
of the project. The Helios substation
energisation is on track for September
2017, ahead of the contractual
completion date of October 2017.
CONCO is responsible for the electrical
component of the balance of plant
works, including the engineering,
procurement and construction of the
medium voltage collector system,
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substation, overhead line connection
and the temporary transformer.
Wind Farms, are expected to be
operational by December 2017. n
How the transformer fits into the plant:
Each wind turbine is connected to
a step-up transformer which boosts
the generating output of the wind
turbine generator from 690V to 33kV.
These transformers are located at
the base of the wind turbine. From
here the cables throughout the wind
farm bring the 33kV current from the
step-up transformers to convene at the
substation where the main transformer
is situated. The main transformer at the
substation increases the voltage further
from 33kV to 132kV – the voltage
required to transfer the power to Eskom.
The Loeriesfontein and Khobab Wind
Farms are part of the South African
Government’s Round 3 Renewable
Energy Independent Power Producer
Procurement Programme (REIPPP)
and are managed both in terms
of construction and operations by
Mainstream Renewable Power South
Africa. The Loeriesfontein and Khobab
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