NamPower's Gerus Substation is set to regain its full capacity with the return of a major 400-kilovolt transformer.
A 175-tonne, 315-megavolt-ampere, 400-kilovolt transformer is being transported by road from Eskom Rotek Industries in Johannesburg, South Africa, to NamPower's Gerus Substation near Otjiwarongo following a seven-year refurbishment project.
The transportation of the transformer, classified as an abnormal load, started in mid-February 2026 and will be complete in early March 2026.
Senior manager of engineering services at NamPower, Frans Shanyata, explained that this transformer is a critical asset to the Namibian economy.
"What we are going to see now is a 315 MVA, one of the biggest transformers that we have in our network. And the voltage rating is 400 220 22 KV. And again, the voltage level is also one of the highest voltage levels that we have in our system. So it is a critical asset for us, and the repair extends the life of the transformer."
Shanyata detailed the process that led to the removal of the transformer, prior to its anticipated return.
"The transformer originally was manufactured in India in 2009/2010. And it was at Gerus Substation near Otjiwarongo. And, during our normal annual maintenance and diagnostics and the tests that we normally run, we identified that the transformer was about to fail. And then we had to take it out of service and send it for refurbishment or repair to South Africa. There were a lot of costs that got in because the repair was a major repair. We had to rewind, put in new windings, and redo the active part of the transformer. So the cost was more than 20 million that went in, including now the whole transportation and all that."
The 100-metre convoy, transporting the transformer, travelled via the Trans-Kalahari Corridor, a 1,900-kilometre road network that links Namibia's Port of Walvis Bay to Botswana and South Africa.
On Friday, March 6, the convoy started to travel across Windhoek via the Hage Geingob Freeway and Nelson Mandela Highway. The transformer is scheduled to remain at the Van Eck Power Station in Windhoek throughout the weekend of March 7 to March 8 for logistical and traffic management reasons.
On Monday, March 9, the convoy will continue to travel north towards Otjiwarongo, where the transformer will reach its final destination, at Gerus Substation near Otjiwarongo, to be reinstalled and commissioned.