CBI-Electric Power Installations
Power Installations is a division of CBI-electric: African cables that specializes in the installation and maintenance of Medium (11-33kV) and High (44-132kV) Voltage Power Cable.
The division has been in operation since 1986 during this time the division has achieved many milestones, not least of which was the installation and commissioning of the first ever high voltage XLPE cable to be installed in South Africa – still in operation, without failure, for over twenty years.
Power Installations is the forerunner, in South Africa, of installation of medium voltage and high voltage power cables. Installations take place on a turnkey basis with cable supplied from CBI-electric: African cables, accessories from local and/or international suppliers and the installation of these performed by Power Installations personnel.
High voltage installations are backed by fully type tested systems ensuring that the installation has been tested in its entirety and has proven compatibility of the cable with its associated accessories. In certain cases, customers have requested type testing of medium voltage cable circuits and these have also been easily accommodated by Power Installations. Power Installations is presently the only cable installation company in Southern Africa to be accredited with ISO 9001 and a 9EP CIDB rating and was involved and is continuing with key projects, including amongst others:
- Ingula the first 400kV installation in Southern Africa
- North West Eskom
- Windfarms
In addition to turnkey work the division focuses strongly on maintenance of high voltage fluid filled and XLPE cable systems. Fluid filled cable technology was introduced into South Africa in the late 1960’s and was only replaced by XLPE dielectric in the early 1980’s. To date some 1200km of fluid filled cable remains in operation in South Africa. Over and above the age of these circuits, the majority of personnel qualified to work on these cable systems has dwindled significantly in the last decade. Subsequent lack of maintenance is resulting in increased failure rates and outages associated with these circuits.
In order to prevent unwanted outages and assist utilities with strategic maintenance decisions, Power Installations offers service in the following areas:

Through rigorous testing, Power Installations personnel are able to determine the existing condition of either high voltage fluid filled or XLPE circuits.
Test results as well as recommendations as to the future course of action i.e. maintenance, associated with the cable circuit are then presented to the customer.

Immediate repair of high voltage fluid filled or XLPE cable circuits should these experience a fault.

Planned annual maintenance of cable circuits according to per-determined testing and inspection criteria.

Planned refurbishment of strategic components associated with mostly fluid filled cables during off-peak load periods.

Through CBI-electric: african cables’ long standing supplier relationships Power Installations is able to procure any accessory required for the repair/strategic stock holding of any high votage cable circuit within South Africa.
The division has been successful in securing maintenance contracts with utilities that have been pro-active in extending the life of their existing cable assets through active maintenance.
Power Installations staff are highly accredited and experienced in the field of fluid filled and XLPE cable technology, in the high voltage realm, and paper and XLPE insulated cable technology at medium voltage levels. The division further boasts the highly coveted ISO 9001:2008 accreditation and is driven to achieve the highest level of safety on its installation sites. To this end Power Installations has received numerous safety awards for its site operations throughout South Africa.
Power Installations has regional offices based in Durban and Cape Town with its head office based in Vereeniging. The division has a long standing record of quality installation and maintenance of all types of power cable and its track record has resulted in an unequaled and unsurpassed cable installation and maintenance service offering.