Neusberg Annual Maintenance

WD Power has started with the annual mechanical maintenance of three 4MW Kaplan turbines at the Neusberg Hydro Plant near Kakamas in the Northern Cape.   This maintenance is scheduled for the low flow season, during which all three units’ maintenance jobs will be concluded. Completion is planned to coincide with the start of the annual wet season later in the year.

WD Power’s highly experienced maintenance team, under the leadership of Brian Adendorff, will be based at Kakamas for the duration of the period.
The scheduled maintenance is based on the Plant’s maintenance schedule and includes the inspection and service of all moving parts. One unit will remain available during the maintenance period to prevent any production losses during maintenance. The team will also carefully monitor the Orange River flow predictions to ensure the availability of additional units, should the generation demand increase.

In order to meet our internal quality checks, as well as record all work in detail for the owners, we compiled detailed risk assessments, method statements and inspection reports – a task familiar to the team, most of whom were involved with the original turbine installation and commissioning.
The project is managed by WD Power on behalf of one of our sister companies that is responsible for the operation and maintenance contract for the plant owners.