Rhino and Buffalo power
Nampower takes possession
Mobile substations add to electricity supply security
Rhino and Buffalo, NamPower’s new and eagerly awaited mobile substations, rated 20MVA with multiple voltage ratios of 132/66kV to 33/11kV and 132/66kV to 22/11kV respectively, have arrived at their destination, Namibia.
The two mobile substations, Rhino and Buffalo have been named after the Big Five, because they are moving substations. The current small mobile (10Mva) was renamed Lion and next Nampower plans a (40MW) Elephant next.
NamPower first embarked on the Mobile Substations Project in 2018, with the main objective of providing security of supply during transformer failure at a substation by enabling restoration of the power supply. In addition to this benefit, the mobile substations will be used to facilitate an alternative temporary power supply where new installations, maintenance or upgrading must be conducted.
Rhino and Buffalo will also support NamPower in providing a temporary point of supply to major customers within a significantly shorter period than would normally be required to provide a permanent supply, the national power utility said.
After contending with procurement hurdles and the disruptions brought about by Covid-19, as well as many other challenges, the two mobile substations are finally in Namibia.
Their journey spanned 1 400km. At a speed of 40km/h it took many days to complete.
Project leader, Elsebi Gadney said that the two substations departed on March 25, 2025, from Benoni in South Africa, before facing one final challenge; a fallen bridge 15 km before Windhoek, on the Rehoboth Road. However, the duo rerouted through Botswana to reach Namibia.
Once offloaded from the truck which brought it into Namibia, NamPower started using its own Volvo FH520 truck, as the trailers were designed to interface with NamPower’s specific truck.
The two mobile substations, Rhino and Buffalo have been named after the Big Five, because they are moving substations. The current small mobile (10Mva) was renamed Lion and next Nampower plans a (40MW) Elephant next.
NamPower first embarked on the Mobile Substations Project in 2018, with the main objective of providing security of supply during transformer failure at a substation by enabling restoration of the power supply. In addition to this benefit, the mobile substations will be used to facilitate an alternative temporary power supply where new installations, maintenance or upgrading must be conducted.
Rhino and Buffalo will also support NamPower in providing a temporary point of supply to major customers within a significantly shorter period than would normally be required to provide a permanent supply, the national power utility said.
After contending with procurement hurdles and the disruptions brought about by Covid-19, as well as many other challenges, the two mobile substations are finally in Namibia.
Their journey spanned 1 400km. At a speed of 40km/h it took many days to complete.
Project leader, Elsebi Gadney said that the two substations departed on March 25, 2025, from Benoni in South Africa, before facing one final challenge; a fallen bridge 15 km before Windhoek, on the Rehoboth Road. However, the duo rerouted through Botswana to reach Namibia.
Once offloaded from the truck which brought it into Namibia, NamPower started using its own Volvo FH520 truck, as the trailers were designed to interface with NamPower’s specific truck.
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