Substation explosion cuts power to large parts of Vanderbijlpark

What happened

A municipal substation in Vanderbijlpark exploded and caught fire, cutting electricity to several areas including Vanderbijlpark CW areas 1 to 6, Muvhango, Bophelong Ext 1 to 18, Bonanne and Stephanopark. The Emfuleni municipality said the fire appeared to have been caused by a faulty feeder cable, which blew up the circuit breaker and the transformer. Investigations were reported to have found the isolator, breakers and high voltage cables damaged beyond repair.

The municipality said the Ferranti and Reservoir substations were also affected, raising the possibility of water shortages and reduced water pressure in some areas, and it asked residents to use water sparingly. It warned that restoration could take until the Friday afternoon or Saturday morning while technicians repaired the damage.

Contributing factors

The municipality reported a faulty feeder cable as the initial cause, which blew up the circuit breaker and the transformer. The account is provisional and no formal investigation findings were reported.

Lessons learned

1. A faulty feeder cable in a substation can destroy the circuit breaker and transformer, so operators should monitor cable condition and review protection settings.
2. A substation failure can affect water supply through linked pumping stations, so operators should map utility interdependencies.

More lessons on detection and monitoring, fire suppression and firefighting, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

• Exact model and age of the transformer
• Cost of repairs and replacement
• Duration of the power outage

This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.

Source

jacarandafm.com