A large complete substation E-house locally manufactured by Zest WEG will help power Sasol’s Upstream PSA project currently under construction in the Inhambane Province of southern Mozambique.

According to Lukas Barnard, Zest WEG’s Business Development Specialist for the oil and gas sector in sub Saharan Africa, the contract also includes locally manufactured transformers and diesel generator set – and is being procured by EPCM contractor Wood. The PSA development is an integrated oil, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and gas project. It will supply a 450 megawatt gas-fired power plant and an LPG facility in Mozambique, as well as export gas to Sasol’s operations in South Africa.

“This is an exciting project for the southern African region, and we are proud to be part of a development with such an important energy impact,” says Barnard. “We are also pleased to be partnering with the well-respected engineering firm Proconics.”

Zest WEG, part of the global WEG group of companies, will supply a complete substation E-house package measuring 45 m by 22 m in size and containing medium voltage (MV) and low voltage (LV) switchgear, a battery room, a local equipment room and an HVAC system. It will be manufactured and pre-assembled in Zest WEG’s advanced local manufacturing facility in Heidelberg, Gauteng.

“This large and complex structure will include staircases and platforms, as it will be elevated 2,1 m above ground for ease of cable entry,” he says. “The design will accommodate the uneven ground on site by accommodating the precise metres-above-sea-level elevations of each corner.”

After factory acceptance tests (FAT) are conducted, the structure will be disassembled for delivery and reconstructed on site. Barnard highlights the quality and cost benefit of the E-house option, which can be built and tested under factory conditions. This enhances safety and avoids the costs, risks and logistics of having multiple teams on site for extended periods to build an equivalent brick-and-mortar structure.

Given the humid and corrosive coastal atmosphere, the E-house will be constructed using 3CR12 stainless steel. The manufacturing and testing of the E-house will be conducted to Sasol’s stringent standards and requirements, he notes.

The supply package also includes one 1,250 kVA Zest WEG diesel generator set for backup power, and two 2,5 MVA 6.6/0.42kV distribution transformers.

“Once again, these aspects of the contract showcase our local manufacturing capabilities,” explains Barnard. “While the gensets will be manufactured in our dedicated facility in Cape Town, the transformers will be built in Zest WEG’s Wadeville facility.”

Zest WEG will also be supplying a heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system to control the temperatures inside the E-house and ensure optimal functioning of all components. He highlights that the company’s experience in E-house design and construction has given it considerable competitive advantage as demand for these solutions has grown.