Prefabricated electric substations (E-Houses) for mining projects

TGOOD Africa has built a reputation as one of the world’s leading providers of prefabricated E-House solutions, as well as power transmission and distribution equipment to clientele in different industries. The company sees growth of opportunities in the supply of prefabricated E-House solutions to mining projects in Africa. 

Underlining their unflagging confidence in economic conditions, mining companies are undertaking Greenfield and Brownfield projects in different regions in Africa. Doubtless, one of the critical requirements in the project is reliable power supply.

Consequently, to ensure the reliable supply of power to mining sites, one of the essential equipment needed is substations. Nevertheless, the main challenge is that the traditional electrical high-voltage and medium-voltage brick-and-mortar substations may not meet the urgent need due to their limitations. 

Noticeably, prefabricated electric substations (E-Houses) have emerged as a more viable alternative to traditional substations. Kobus Coetzer, the Chief Executive Officer of TGOOD Africa, has been observing the trend keenly. He foresees the niche of prefabricated E-Houses (Electrical Houses) continuously growing, as increasingly, organisations in different industries appreciate how their features address the common challenges encountered with traditional substations. 

Challenges with traditional substations 

Due to their nature, traditional substations cannot adequately cope with the pace of infrastructure development, as urbanisation continues to increase, as well as the obligation for businesses to reduce their environmental footprint.  

Concerning urbanisation, Coetzer elaborates: “As urbanisation continues to increase, the power infrastructure needs to be expanded as well. Unfortunately, the traditional electrical high-voltage and medium-voltage brick-and-mortar substations that utilise air-insulated switchgear and large pieces of land are expensive to build and take a long time to construct.”

For mining companies, the location in remote areas compounds the inherent challenges of deploying traditional substations. More often than not, they have to contend with raw materials, skills, labour, logistics etc., which increase the capital expenditure of a project. 

Benefits of Prefabricated Structures  

As an alternative to traditional substations, E-houses that utilise gas-insulated switch gears are becoming an increasingly attractive solution, especially in overcrowded cities where land is not freely available and is expensive. This is because E-houses come pre-engineered and pre-fabricated according to customer requirements and specifications. 

Markedly, due to their prefabricated modular components, E-Houses have revolutionised the electrical substation construction industry by offering a host of benefits including:

· They provide a fast, cost-effective, and customisable solution to distribute power quickly and reliably. Hence, they can be easily installed and commissioned significantly faster than other traditional substation designs. Eventually, this reduces the overhead costs associated with substation construction, such as engineering, design, and labour.

· Their prefabricated components are modular. This allows them to be easily reconfigured and updated with changing needs. 

· They provide increased safety for personnel and flexibility with regard to system configuration.

· Last but not least, E-Houses provide a much lower environmental impact due to their modular, transportable design that can be quickly delivered and installed with minimal disturbance to the environment. “This has been especially advantageous for remote mining operations, making the construction process much easier and more efficient,” explains Coetzer. 

Research and Development

On the whole, it is not surprising that due to the above-mentioned benefits, E-houses have revolutionised the electrical substation construction industry. With ongoing Research and Development initiatives, certainly, new designs will offer a wider array of benefits.