STANDBY, BACKUP & EMERGENCY POWER
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Five warning signs that SA faces a silent battery crisis S outh Africa may be heading into a new energy crisis, one that has nothing to do with Eskom. According to REVOV,
and municipal outages worsening, more households are turning to solar and storage. “Energy independence is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity,” says Dickerson. “But independence must be built on quality, not on stockpiled batteries that were never cared for and maintained.” Lack of transparency is leaving consumers exposed: REVOV says the public should do due diligence and purchase from suppliers who can answer these key questions: • Are you aware of the production dates? • Do you have a record of recharge and maintenance histories? • Do you follow pre-dispatch quality assurance procedures? • Can you offer local technical support, country-wide? Without these safeguards, consumers cannot know whether the battery they’re buying is healthy or already degraded. REVOV urges South Africans to choose locally assembled, locally supported batteries backed by nationwide technical teams and transparent warranties. “The future of energy resilience depends on batteries that are built to last – and supported at home,” Dickerson says.
they progress into costly failures. By combining field expertise, structured maintenance programmes, and access to OEM-level technical resources, a services division plays a critical role in safeguarding network reliability and extending the asset life of customer installations.” When unplanned outages occur, coordinated field service teams can expedite restoration through on-site fault assessment, component replacement, and system recommissioning. Importantly, holding essential inventory and adhering to stringent response times are key to restoring network integrity and maintaining supply continuity across power distribution systems.” Using technology to enhance resilience Digitalisation is reshaping how operators manage electrical infrastructure. By integrating online condition-monitoring systems into MV switchgear, such as temperature and partial discharge monitoring, early warnings can be provided to help prevent compromised,” says Lance Dickerson, managing director of REVOV. “This is a systemic issue that is eroding trust in the renewable energy sector.” To help consumers and installers navigate the risk, REVOV has identified five warning signs that degraded stockpiles are quietly undermining South Africa’s energy resilience. Batteries are being sold after sitting idle for months: Batteries are not inert products; they are chemical systems that deteriorate when left uncycled. A battery stored for a year can arrive at installation already compromised, even though it is sold as “new”. A growing number of installations are failing under basic load: The cause is often not the inverter or the installer but degraded stock that was never maintained. Consumers are paying premium prices for sub-par products: Many of the batteries imported during the boom were never cycled, tested, or conditioned. Consumers end up footing the bill when these units fail months later. Tariff hikes are driving households toward backup power, but quality is not guaranteed: With electricity tariffs rising
During the height of loadshedding, importers flooded the country with batteries to meet unprecedented demand. But when outages eased, much of that stock sat idle in warehouses for months, and unlike ordinary goods, batteries degrade when left unused. “A LiFePO4 battery can lose up to 3% charge per month. After a year in storage, it can arrive flat, unbalanced, and already
a leading supplier of lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries assembled in South Africa, thousands of degraded batteries imported during the loadshedding boom are now entering the market, and consumers are paying the price.
Enquiries: https://revov.co.za/
ACTOM’s approach to reliable medium voltage supply M any sectors across South Africa and the broader region depend on mission-critical facilities to deliver
and 40 kA, ACTOM aims to ensure that mission-critical facilities can meet rising energy demands while adapting to a rapidly changing power landscape. Keeping abreast of “4IR” (Fourth Industrial Revolution) trends, ACTOM has introduced QR-code access to documentation, making it easier for customers and operators to retrieve online cloud-based manuals, drawings, and test reports when needed. Building a foundation for long-term stability Reliable MV infrastructure underpins the performance of South Africa’s most essential facilities. As energy systems evolve and digitalisation accelerates, investment in durable, well-supported switchgear remains essential. Through a combination of technical capability, long-term service support, and ongoing innovation, a resilient foundation can be built for sectors that cannot afford interruption.
technologies and durable operating mechanisms that have been tested by internationally recognised facilities for extended electrical and mechanical endurance, i.e., classified as E2 and M2, respectively, in accordance with IEC 62271-100. This testing ensures resilient electrical and mechanical performance over long periods, reducing maintenance requirements and supporting continuous operation. While grid instability and rapid load fluctuations remain ongoing challenges across the region, MV switchgear is designed to tolerate the voltage and current variations typically associated with these conditions. This resilience helps operators maintain stability even when external factors are unpredictable. Real-world support in times of outage Beyond the physical equipment, long-term support plays a vital role in maintaining supply continuity. Avrille Cape, after- sales manager at ACTOM MV Switchgear, highlights the importance of rapid response capability. “Effective outage management requires established rapid-response protocols, qualified technical personnel, and local availability of critical spares to ensure minimal service interruption. Network operators and switchgear service providers typically maintain 24- hour support capabilities and implement structured maintenance schedules and/ or condition-based maintenance to identify and address potential failure points before they escalate.” “It is important to work with a company that operates a dedicated Services division with multiple regional branches,” says Marius Lombard, services manager. “Providing customers with true 24/ 7 technical support and access to specialists in the maintenance, inspection, and life- cycle management of MV switchgear installations is vital. Proactive and condition-based maintenance strategies ensure early identification of wear, degradation, and operational risks before
uninterrupted services. Hospitals, data centres, and large industrial operations cannot afford downtime, and their performance relies heavily on stable and resilient Medium Voltage (MV) electrical systems. Ensuring that these facilities operate without disruption requires equipment that can support changing energy demands, tolerate grid instability, and offer strong protection and monitoring capabilities. Meeting the demands of mission- critical environments A mission-critical facility is defined by its need for maximum uptime and minimal room for error. Rhett Kelly, design and development manager at ACTOM MV Switchgear, explains that MV switchgear serves as the backbone of the electrical network: “It provides the switching capability needed for operational flexibility and protects upstream equipment by interrupting downstream faults and isolating them from the healthy network. Monitoring and protection systems ensure that operators have full real-time visibility of network conditions both onsite and remotely via Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA).” To meet the varied needs of hospitals, data centres, and industrial plants, ACTOM offers a wide range of switchgear solutions with various configurations, insulation technologies, and busbar options. All solutions are designed and type-tested to both local and international standards, ensuring they meet the performance and safety requirements demanded by high- reliability environments. Engineering reliability through robust design Reliability in MV systems is achieved through both technology and endurance. It is important for switchgear to employ modern maintenance-free interruption
Enquiries: www.actom.co.za
failures. Features like infrared windows allow technicians to conduct inspections safely while equipment remains energised. These tools support a shift from time-based maintenance to predictive, condition-based strategies, improving both safety and efficiency. Preparing for the future of energy As global environmental standards evolve, so too must MV switchgear technology. New product ranges that eliminate reliance on fluorinated gases such as SF6, including solid dielectric insulated switchgear (SIS), must be continuously developed in line with international regulations. With SF6-free solutions extending up to 40.5 kV, 3,150 A (4,000 A at 17.5 kV),
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