The South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) has engaged with the Rustenburg municipality’s electricity department as part of the Viability and Validation of Innovation for Service Delivery (VVISD) Programme supporting efforts to improve municipal energy efficiency and modernise distribution infrastructure.
A recent technical working group committee meeting focused on the deployment of new technology at the Industries substation where the municipality plans to install ripple control relays to enhance load management. The devices are expected to support more effective demand control and improve overall supply reliability once operational.
The meeting also considered refurbishment and upgrading of existing substation infrastructure, which SANEDI says is necessary to optimise the performance of the planned technology. According to the SANEDI technical team, the initiative could deliver energy savings of up to 5 MVA following the completion of the refurbishment work and relay installation. The rollout is planned for Phase 3 of the VVISD Programme.
Neville Smith, Project Manager: Smart Grids at SANEDI, said the partnership reflects the organisation’s commitment to empowering municipalities with practical, scalable smart-infrastructure solutions. “Our partnership with municipalities such as Rustenburg is an important step towards modernising energy systems and building resilient, energy-efficient local infrastructure.”
