GQEBERHA – The arrival of two power transformers at Coega Steels marks a significant milestone in the Nelson Mandela Bay company’s journey towards self-sustainability.

The brand-new units, manufactured in China, arrived in Gqeberha in July, with the first going online in September.

This comes only months after the company completed the largest commercial solar project in the Eastern Cape.

The 11,484 newly installed panels generate up to 7 MW of electricity, marking another step forward in the steelmaker’s ongoing efforts to offset the industry’s energy demands.

Investing in energy security

Coega Steels recycles scrap metal into what is globally referred to as “green steel” because its manufacturing process is more environmentally friendly than that of traditional coal-fired smelters.

According to a company spokesperson, meticulous planning was required to design, manufacture, deliver and install the transformers by the agreed deadline.

Both had to be custom-made to meet the exact specifications provided by the Gqeberha-based mini-mill.

The first step was to shortlist manufacturers worldwide.

Coega Steels then had to approve the prototype design before production could begin.

“It takes four to five months to manufacture one transformer and about 45 days for it to be shipped to the Bay,” the spokesperson said.

The entire process could take up to nine months.

When the plant’s transformer unexpectedly failed in August last year, putting the livelihoods of roughly 600 employees at risk, the metro leased a spare unit to the steelmaker for 12 months.

New transformers to reduce risk

This gave the company, the metro’s largest electricity customer, enough time to source a suitable replacement.

The two new units arrived in separate shipments, about four weeks apart. The leased unit was subsequently removed and returned to the municipality.

“We have written a letter conveying our sincere gratitude to the city,” the spokesperson said.

The installation, testing and energising of the first transformer began in August and took about 15 days to complete.

The steelmaker decided to commission a second transformer to provide redundancy in the event of an unexpected failure.

The second unit is expected to become operational towards the end of the first quarter of 2027. Once online, the two transformers will operate concurrently.

“It is purely to mitigate risk to the plant and the company’s employees,” the spokesperson said.

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