Alectrix (Pty) Ltd, based in Cape Town, South Africa, has been active for almost 30 years since its founding in 1997. As the authorized sole and exclusive Sales Partner for OMICRON electronics in Southern Africa, Alectrix specializes in distribution, after-sales service, application support, and training for OMICRON products and solutions. Alectrix is also known for hosting one of the largest OMICRON User Conferences in the world, the South African User Conference. How is the energy grid structured? Riaan Louw: The South African energy grid has three main components: generation, transmission, distribution, and microgrids. Generation includes power stations with up to 58 GW capacity, mainly from coal, nuclear, hydro, solar, and wind. Transmission involves 28,000 km of high-voltage lines with rated voltages ranging from 400 to 765 kV. Distribution covers 325,000 km of lower-voltage lines to end-users. Additionally, microgrids add 5,400 MW of power to the main grid’s total capacity. What resources are being used to generate power? South Africa’s power generation relies heavily on coal, which provides about 80% of the total energy mix. Other resources include nuclear (5.4%), renewable energy sources like wind Riaan Louw, General Manager, Alectrix (Pty) Ltd www.alectrix.co.za ON SITE: OMICRON IN SOUTH AFRICA Riaan Louw from Alectrix (Pty) Ltd, shares his insights about the power sector with us. challenges, we should encourage resourcefulness and adaptability. When looking towards the future, where do you see the biggest challenges in the power sector and in general? The South African power sector has exciting opportunities for growth and improvement. Addressing frequent load shedding and aging infrastructure can lead to innovative solutions and modernization efforts from the industry and its suppliers. The gradual transition to new products and technology presents a chance to enhance reliability and efficiency. While slow grid upgrades pose challenges, they also offer the potential for significant advancements. Alectrix is proud to support the South African power sector in its pursuit of excellence and reliability. Thank you for the interview. and solar (7.3%), and hydroelectric power. Efforts are ongoing to diversify the energy mix by increasing the share of renewables and natural gas. What are the current hot topics in the energy supply market? Trending topics in the South African power and energy supply industry are: › Renewable Energy Expansion: Increasing wind and solar capacity. › Eskom’s Restructuring: Improving efficiency and reliability. › Grid Upgrades: Investing in an R390-billion expansion. › Energy Policy Reforms: Diversifying the energy mix. › Just Transition: Supporting workers and communities shifting from coal to renewables. What kinds of challenges are your customers facing? Alectrix’s customers in South Africa’s power sector are presented with unique opportunities to innovate and improve. They are navigating through frequent load shedding and disruptive schedules, which drive the need for creative solutions and resilience. The aging infrastructure and maintenance needs offer a chance to modernize and upgrade systems. Ensuring the industry maintains a focus on training and development fosters a culture of continuous learning. Despite these 34
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