GIBB, in a Joint Venture with Stewart Scott and Knight Piésold (Braamhoek Consultants Joint Venture (BCJV)) and supported by a range of International Firms, has been appointed for an nine year period for the Detailed Design,  Tender Documentation, Design Monitoring and Construction Supervision of the Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme.

GIBB is responsible to the Client, Eskom Holdings Ltd, as Lead Consultant in the BCJV.

The Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme is located about 23 km north-east of Van Reenen, within the little Drakensberg mountain range.  The upper reservoir site is located in the Free State and the lower in KwaZulu-Natal.  The escarpment forms the border between these two provinces.  The distance between the upper and lower reservoirs is in the order of 6 km and the elevation difference is approximately 470 m.

The Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme consists of an upper reservoir, a lower reservoir, an underground power house complex with access tunnels and associated waterways that link the two reservoirs and ancillary works that include buildings, roads, transmission lines and temporary and permanent infrastructure.

The rated generating capacity of the scheme is nominally 1 334MW with an energy storage capacity of 21 000MWh.  The underground power house complex consists of a machine hall, a transformer hall and other associated tunnels and caverns.


Key Features

• Design of new 1 333MW pumped storage scheme
• Design and on-site design monitoring of access roads, dams, tunnels, caverns, mechanical and electrical works
• Construction supervision of all aspects of the Project
• Environmental impact assessment