Wynand Venter

Experience

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  Eskom

  Jan 2001 - Feb 2007

  Systems & Project Engineer

  Wynand was the Project Engineer responsible for modifications to the medium-voltage switchgear as part of the refurbishment of the Hendrina Power Station in Mpumalanga Province. The Hendrina plant was an older power station being refurbished in order to extend its commercial life. The refurbishment included replacement of the distributed control system, low-voltage switchgear, and modification of the medium-voltage switchgear and other equipment. The existing medium-voltage switchgear did not have the required capacity to supply power to newly installed boiler draft fans. The project budget, however, did not have the required funds to replace the switchgear in its entirety, so a partial upgrade of the switchgear busbars and a retrofitting of the air-blast switching mechanisms with more modern SF6-type mechanisms were chosen. The existing electromagnetic protective relays were also replaced with modern electronic relays.Wynand also was the Electrical Engineer responsible for upgrading outdated transformers at the Hendrina Power Station in Mpumalanga Province. The 220 MVA generator transformers were in an advanced stage of thermal aging and a serious risk to the power station’s operation. Responsible for a detailed assessment of the existing transformers and developing a replacement strategy based on the severity of the condition of each transform. As the failure of some transformers was imminent, developed a short-term strategy to replace those in the worst condition with mothballed transformers from a sister power station. Developed a long-term strategy to eventually replace the entire transformer fleet. Responsible for preparing the tender proposal to the Eskom Tender Board and determining cost estimates, project schedule, and cash flow estimates for the successful application. Also responsible for developing technical specifications and installation methodologies for the new transformers. Show less

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  Murray & Roberts - Engineered Excellence

  Mar 2007 - Jan 2008

  Detail Design Engineer

  Wynand was the Electrical Engineer and part of the engineering team responsible for the conceptual design of the balance of plant for the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) pilot plant in the Western Cape. The plant, jointly owned by Westinghouse and the South African Government, was designed as a small nuclear power station capable of generating 300 MVA of power. The balance of plant consisted of the civil construction and electrical network systems. Due to the nuclear nature of the project, reliability of the engineering design, quality assurance techniques, and configuration management were of the utmost importance. In order to realize proper integration and configuration management, the project made use of Intergraph’s SmartPlant® suite of application. Show less

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  Eskom

  Feb 2008 - Dec 2009

  Project Engineer

  Wynand was the Project Engineer responsible for coordinating the design of the Medupi and Kusile power stations in the metropolitan area Gauteng Province. Responsible for directing the design teams and the critical interface of the civil, electrical, and instrumentation and control systems. The project is unique in that it included the procurement of the largest generator transformers ever installed in a South African power station, including three winding unit transformers with outputs of 930 MVA and weighing 500 tons. The three winding unit transformers posed a technical challenge as their design and performance within the Medupi distribution system was unique. The loads connected to the transformers included two large 20 MVA steam feed pumps, which resulted in severe unbalanced loading of the two secondary windings, and required the transformer be designed with a double stock winding arrangement, rather than a double concentric winding arrangement. Show less

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  DRA Global

  Jan 2010 - Oct 2010

  Senior Engineering Consultant
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  PEC Engineers

  Nov 2010 - now

  Director

  Wynand started as the Lead Electrical Engineer at PEC Engineers'​ (PEC) in 2010. During this time, he worked on various national and international projects entailing Owner's Engineer, Independent Engineer, PV Solar, Wind, Gas Turbine, Co-Generation, Reciprocating Engine, Waste-Heat and Detail Design projects.Wynand was a key part of the team that established PEC's systems and processes, such as quality management and ISO certification.PEC was established in 2010 and has grown to be known as an engineering consultancy company that provides high-quality, innovative engineering services to its clients. Today, PEC provides power generation and power delivery engineering services to support economic growth throughout the African continent. Engineering disciplines offered include electrical, structural, mechanical, process, and instrumentation and controls. PEC is a registered Eskom self-build design consultant, and has been ISO 9001:2015 compliant since 2012. Show less