Power Station pics

Andrew Darné · July 29, 2007, 11:41:37 PM

I write under correction... the pics you have on the main site of the generators (engines) being removed on a lowbed truck were the 2 that came out in the late 80's. These were taken to Botswana. The remaining 5 engines were removed '99/2000. These were completely dismantled and trucked to CT in 12m containers, repacked and shipped out. Some went to India and the others to Tanzania(??). I have a pic for you for the site, one of the last photo's taken of the engine hall before the station was dismantled.
Was quite a nostalgic time watching them being removed piece by humungus piece. Each engine (only) weighed around 70 tons.

Michael Alexander · July 30, 2007, 06:29:10 PM

Hi Andy, I knew about the ones that went to India, interesting about the others and if you have any snaps, bring them to Spar, I'll scan 'em quickly......

Thanks

Mike

;)

Michael Alexander · June 23, 2008, 02:27:47 PM

Here's the famous fire at the powerstation...

Alfred Boehme · June 23, 2008, 05:58:17 PM

There was anothr fire inside the transformer bays?

Michael Alexander · June 23, 2008, 06:46:25 PM

Ja, but was'nt this the big one?

Mike Stenson (RIP) · June 23, 2008, 06:52:07 PM

Quote from: Michael Alexander on June 23, 2008, 06:46:25 PM
Ja, but was'nt this the big one?

Looks like the cooling towers at the back of the power station. Not the big one in 1978.

Michael Alexander · June 23, 2008, 06:52:58 PM

The cooling towers on the east side of the power station, so the big one was the transformer fire?

Alfred Boehme · June 24, 2008, 07:43:00 PM

Mike the big fire was in the transformer bays, the section next to the survey dep we have a few transformers there for starage if you look from the front side "George circle" you will notice that there is a piece of the building missing on the right side, that whole area was distroyed

Alfred

Check the attachment

georg ruf jr. · June 24, 2008, 07:47:59 PM

Looking at hat pic makes it seem like yesterday Alfred...

Alfred Boehme · June 24, 2008, 07:51:57 PM

The pic was taken about 2 months ago the place looks good since they revamped it I must get another from the other side to explain where the area was

Michael Alexander · December 27, 2008, 09:12:20 PM

Here was an interesting reply from Bob Molloy!

"Hi Mike,

Greetings and felicitations from a long gone Oranjemunder (in fact so long gone that it is almost forty years since I last set foot there).

I was intrigued by your website and particularly the power station story and pictures of the engines and generators being removed. You may be interested to know that the change was politically driven by the previous government, sparked by the upcoming independence of Namibia (then South West Africa).

The idea was to keep South Africa's hand on the levers of power (literally) by running a high voltage line from the nearest point of the Escom grid at Port Nolloth to the Orange River. The move was ostensibly to supply the Alexander Bay mine with cheap power. The real aim however was to remove the ability of the Consolidated Diamond Mines of South West Africa - or CDM as it was then named - to generate its own power. The problem was that CDM had a perfectly adequate and much cheaper supply right on site.

This was solved by offering CDM such cheap power that it couldn't refuse, so the power station was mothballed for the time being but kept in reserve in case the grid failed. This continued happily until the power station inexplicably had a disastrous fire, destroying much of the generating capacity. Thereafter it didn't make sense to hang onto the now aging equipment and it was eventually sold off. Coincidentally, the cost of power went up sharply. I suppose that could be seen as good forward planning.

On another tack: are you interested in an article I wrote on the ghost towns of the Spergebiet which also includes a little potted history of the discovery of diamonds in the area? Have also a January, 1967, edition of the Oranjemund Newsletter which I can copy and forward if you feel it could be of interest on the website.

Regards,

Bob Molloy"

SandyB · December 28, 2008, 05:44:31 AM

Mmm .. interesting reading Bob .. so the plot did indeed thicken ....

Leon Sumter · December 28, 2008, 08:56:35 PM

Hi Mike
Try and get Bob's article on the Ghost Towns on the Ghost towns of the Sperrgebiet.

Alfred Boehme · December 29, 2008, 07:50:52 PM

Quote from: Michael Alexander on December 27, 2008, 09:12:20 PM
Here was an interesting reply from Bob Molloy!

"Hi Mike,

Greetings and felicitations from a long gone Oranjemunder (in fact so long gone that it is almost forty years since I last set foot there).

I was intrigued by your website and particularly the power station story and pictures of the engines and generators being removed. You may be interested to know that the change was politically driven by the previous government, sparked by the upcoming independence of Namibia (then South West Africa).

The idea was to keep South Africa's hand on the levers of power (literally) by running a high voltage line from the nearest point of the Escom grid at Port Nolloth to the Orange River. The move was ostensibly to supply the Alexander Bay mine with cheap power. The real aim however was to remove the ability of the Consolidated Diamond Mines of South West Africa - or CDM as it was then named - to generate its own power. The problem was that CDM had a perfectly adequate and much cheaper supply right on site.

This was solved by offering CDM such cheap power that it couldn't refuse, so the power station was mothballed for the time being but kept in reserve in case the grid failed. This continued happily until the power station inexplicably had a disastrous fire, destroying much of the generating capacity. Thereafter it didn't make sense to hang onto the now aging equipment and it was eventually sold off. Coincidentally, the cost of power went up sharply. I suppose that could be seen as good forward planning.

On another tack: are you interested in an article I wrote on the ghost towns of the Spergebiet which also includes a little potted history of the discovery of diamonds in the area? Have also a January, 1967, edition of the Oranjemund Newsletter which I can copy and forward if you feel it could be of interest on the website.

Regards,

Bob Molloy"

Hi Bob

I recall the power station fire when the substation was build inside the mining area near mooimiesies on the eastern side of the tar road, did they not rush to get the substation on line due to the fire?

Greetings Alfred

Gordon Brown · December 30, 2008, 04:08:47 PM

Bob, am interested in all matters relating to Sperrgebiet and would love to read your history of the ghost towns of the Sperrgebiet. Am sure other Oranjemunders will be just as interested. Can you put them on the site for all to read. Have a few stories of my own about the early diamond mining days around Luderitz, Kolmanskop, Meob and Conception Bays etc. Kind regards Gordon Brown (Dougie and Pat Freemantle's son in law)