The City’s mayoral committee has proposed a recommendation to the Council for the allocation of approximately R107 million towards the enhancement of professional services required for the revitalisation of the Steenbras Hydro Pumped Storage Scheme in the coming years.
This investment aims to guarantee the continued effectiveness and reliability of Cape Town’s valuable Steenbras infrastructure, which plays a crucial role in protecting against loadshedding. The entire process will strictly adhere to regulatory and legislative protocols.
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In a statement, the City reported that the execution of these professional services will determine the project’s final budget and timeline.
‘This multi-year contract for the provision of professional services comprises some R107 million to enable the refurbishment of this valuable Cape Town asset that is protecting customers from up to two stages of loadshedding where possible,’ said the City’s mayoral committee member for energy, Councillor Beverley van Reenen.
She added, ‘The contract period is 108 months from the date of commencement and is programmed to start on 15 February 2024 and end on 30 June 2032. It will lay the foundation for the refurbishment of the plant.’
Highlighting Cape Town’s proactive approach, Councillor van Reenen explained, ‘This is the Cape Town difference: we continue to roll out plans to ensure we can within the next two years provide loadshedding protection of up to four stages where feasible while focusing on proper maintenance and investment in our infrastructure for reliable service delivery.’
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The benefits of the City’s power generation management and loadshedding protection reportedly extend to all Capetonians, directly or indirectly. This safeguarding measure also extends its protective mantle over critical city infrastructure used for service provision and secures the City’s electricity network, enhancing its resilience.
The Steenbras Hydro Pump Station (SHPS), with a capacity of 180 megawatts, comprises four turbines used for electricity generation.
During peak electricity demand periods, it harnesses water from Upper Steenbras to Lower Steenbras, passing it through the turbine generator to produce electricity. During off-peak hours, typically from 23:00 to 07:00, the turbines efficiently pump the water back to the Upper Steenbras Dam, where it can be recycled for the next day’s use.
Essentially, SHPS functions like a sizeable battery, with the lower reservoir’s capacity limiting its daily electricity production.
Cape Town is reportedly the only city in South Africa to own and operate a large pumped hydroelectric scheme.
The consistent maintenance and effective management of this power station are essential to its ability to alleviate high tariffs and demand periods, as well as shield City-supplied customers from potential stages of loadshedding.
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