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Local manufacturers have issued a warning about the safety risks and system failures associated with non-compliant cable imports. The industry is calling for a stronger focus on quality and certified products to support grid optimisation. Advanced reconductoring technologies are seen as key to unlocking capacity without the need for new infrastructure.
The South African cable manufacturing industry has the technical capability and production capacity to support grid optimisation and the country’s energy transition. However, the increasing volumes of substandard imports are undermining progress and posing significant safety risks.
Andre Smith, CEO of South Ocean Electric Wire and a subsidiary of JSE listed South Ocean Holdings, says the national grid is under increasing pressure as renewable energy integration, industrial recovery, and electrification targets drive higher demand. He explains that utilities such as Eskom and municipalities are turning to innovative reconductoring and uprating solutions to increase capacity along existing transmission corridors. These approaches avoid lengthy environmental approvals and eliminate the need for new transmission towers.
However, Smith warns that the influx of low priced, inferior and non-compliant imported cables is creating serious challenges across multiple sectors. These products are associated with overheating, insulation failure, fire incidents, and costly operational downtime. He notes that these risks are already evident in residential, renewable energy, industrial, mining, and construction applications. Without intervention, similar failures could affect the transmission sector, leading to long-term reliability issues and financial losses.
Smith stresses that investment in compliant and proven cable technologies is critical to building a resilient transmission network. He adds that prioritising quality from the outset will reduce lifecycle costs and accelerate the deployment of clean energy infrastructure.
Constraints on new transmission routes further increase the importance of maximising existing infrastructure. According to Smith, advanced engineering solutions combined with high-performance materials are essential to achieving this goal.
While much attention is focused on high-temperature low sag conductors and reconductoring for overhead lines, he emphasises that quality must be maintained across the entire network. This includes distribution systems and low voltage connections that support renewable energy integration and substations.
Smith highlights the role of advanced conductor technologies, including composite core and high ampacity solutions such as ACCC and similar high-temperature low sag options. These technologies, already deployed in projects such as City Power Johannesburg reconductoring initiatives, can significantly increase power transfer capacity, in some cases by up to 100%, while maintaining existing transmission corridors.
He says these developments align with global trends toward more resilient and sustainable energy networks, while also supporting local initiatives. This content is written in a formal, journalistic tone suitable for a blog, ensuring precision, avoiding contractions, and structuring the output with clear paragraphs and line breaks for readability and optimal SEO quality.
