As South Africa’s power network evolves, new generation sources, industrial loads and renewable projects continue to add complexity to an already constrained system. Maintaining stability during fault conditions has become one of the grid’s most pressing operational challenges. While much of the attention often falls on visible infrastructure, a critical part of grid protection lies in the neutral where neutral earthing compensator resistor transformers (NECRTs) play a key role in managing earth faults in delta-configured power transformers.
In this environment, Southern Africa’s largest NECRT manufacturer, ACTOM Distribution Transformers, plays a central role as one of the few companies capable of delivering fully engineered, locally produced solutions at an industrial scale. From the outset, ACTOM Distribution Transformers’ focus on reliable NECRT equipment has supported South Africa’s increasingly complex power system.
Reliable neutral earthing underpins safety and equipment protection. ACTOM Distribution Transformers supports this through decades of engineering expertise, in-house testing capability and a strong national footprint. Its locally engineered NECRTs provide consistency in performance across applications. Standards compliance remains a central part of its offering.
Proven compliance and engineering confidence
All ACTOM Distribution Transformers NECRTs are aligned with Eskom specifications as well as International Electrotechnical Commission and South African National Standards requirements, reflecting how engineering decisions are made in practice. Ensuring repeatable compliance across high-volume production is a significant technical requirement, particularly for protection equipment that must operate reliably during fault conditions.
This alignment positions ACTOM Distribution Transformers as a supplier to Eskom, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors and major industrial customers. Consistent compliance helps reduce commissioning risks and supports protection systems that must operate accurately during fault events.
According to ACTOM Distribution Transformers Divisional CEO Lee Mbenge, engineers are increasingly prioritising reliability proven in the field rather than relying solely on factory testing. ACTOM Distribution Transformers’ track record with utilities and EPCs, with repeatable quality and life cycle support, continues to build confidence among system designers and operators.
Local manufacturing as a strategic advantage
Mbenge highlighted the role of ACTOM Distribution Transformers’ NECRTs in a broader strategy to strengthen South African manufacturing capability and ensure critical protection equipment is produced, supported and maintained locally.
Local design and manufacturing remain key advantages. As a South African NECRT manufacturer, ACTOM Distribution Transformers provides end-to-end capability from design engineering and routine, type and special testing to maintenance and field support. Its manufacturing footprint, the largest in Southern Africa, supports shorter lead times, improved supply continuity and consistent quality.
For asset owners, these advantages translate into reduced operational risk and faster response times for maintenance and fault resolution.
As demands on the national grid continue to rise, the importance of reliable NECRTs is expected to increase. Although these devices operate out of sight, they remain central to modern protection strategies. By prioritising engineering reliability, compliance and local capability, ACTOM Distribution Transformers continues to support grid stability where it matters most – at the neutral point.
