The 132/11Kv Queens Park Substation located in East London promises to supply stable and sufficient electrical power to the region.
The project which was commissioned by the Buffalo City Municipality followed the recommendations done by a Master plan that identified the need for a new substation to be built. Future load centers were identified and have shown that the largest loads are in the area of the Zoo Substation.
An additional 43 MVA is required in order to electrify the scheduled Planned housing program in the East London area. Without spare capacity on the main substations housing and future housing developments cannot be electrified. Currently in the East London area of the Buffalo City Metro Municipality, over 65% of the residential load is supplied from Stafford Substation, a 90 MVA firm supply which already close to peaking at its firm capacity.
When complete the substation will be equipped with tubular low profile Bus-bar configuration; 2 x 40 MVA 132/11 kV-Power Transformers; Space requirements for future 40 MVA 132/11 kV Power Transformer, 2 Power Transformer feeders; space requirements for future Power transformer feeders ; double Bus-bar arrangement; 2 Feeder bays; lightning Protection and substation Earthing.
In addition there will be a brick built substation switch/control room housing the 11 kV switchboards for the power distribution cabling or overhead line feeders, outdoor switchgear control panels, OLTC control panels and Quality of Supply panel.
The substation will be supplied off a 3,5 km 132 kV overhead line supported on steel lattice Poles structures to be constructed between Buffalo City’s Woodbrooke and Zoo Substations. The projects site presented a challenging terrain consisting of a very steep slope and so a conventional substation layout was not feasible.
For instance aspects such as an effective storm water drainage system, electrical equipment that needs to be accessible from a maintenance perspective and the offloading of 40MVA, 132/11kV, Power Transformers had to be considered in the substation layout design.
To overcome this challenge the team designed an effective storm water system that allows all rain water to flow into a pond at the lowest side of the substation site. Addition to this, the 132kV yard equipment are being installed, not on one platform level but five different platform levels that were created for the 132kV equipment.
The terrain had one advantage because by installing the 132kV outdoor equipment on different levels a low profile bus bar system was achieved which reduced the visual impact on the environment a characteristic normally evident in substations.
The electrification will add an additional 43MVA onto the BCMM East London Network and so it will be necessary to on stall a 40mVa firm supply while the choice of a 132kv voltage was informed by the fact that Escom has a 132kV network.
With new capacity coming online on completion of the substation sometime in 2014 the East London area electrical supply will be able to meet any future housing developments needs for electrification.
