Cape Town, 2 March 2020 – Lesedi evolved from Intens Engineering, which was founded in the mid-1980s. Lesedi has since diversified into a major engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company, having successfully completed numerous key projects in nuclear, industrial power, mining and oil and gas environments. The company has been involved with maintenance and services at the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station from its inception.  Since 2001, Lesedi has executed over 150 modifications at Koeberg and is engaged with the plant life extension (+20 years) through the replacement of Steam Generators, the replacement of the water storage tanks (PTR) as well as other modifications.

For the 7th consecutive year, Lesedi Nuclear Services will be exhibiting at the Africa Energy Indaba from 2-4 March 2020, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. Lesedi will take part in the Africa Gas side event on Monday 2 March – and will be the Host Partner for the CEO Roundtable on Energy Efficiency Measures in the production sector, where CEO Francis Carruthers will be participating.  Greg Nichollas, who is spearheading Lesedi’s entry and growth in the oil and gas sector, will be a speaker at the Africa Gas event.

Shane Pereira, Business Development Executive for Lesedi commented: “Lesedi is one of South Africa’s best kept secrets. We are perfectly positioned to provide our expertise and knowledge in providing solutions for South Africa’s Energy crisis and offer solutions for emissions control in existing coal power plants and for the mining industry.

Lesedi has diversified its business and we are now active in multiple energy generation segments, in the mining industry and with products and projects in oil and gas industries. We are proud of our long history at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station. The future of Koeberg itself is critical for energy stability in the country and particularly for the Western Cape. We believe Nuclear Power is a stable, cost-effective and clean source of power and that it should play a role in the future energy mix for South Africa.

For new Nuclear to come online after 2030, we should start the process as soon as possible, to retain critical nuclear skills and to contribute to energy stability, industrialization and economic growth in South Africa. We have a strong nuclear industry in the country, as is evidenced by the successful operation of Koeberg for over 30 years and the 20 MW tank-in-pool-type nuclear research reactor Safari 1 at Pelindaba, west from Pretoria, for over 50 years.”

In order to retain critical Nuclear Skills, Lesedi continues to pursue international nuclear opportunities. The company highlights the emergence and advancement of new technologies such as Small Modular Reactors (SMR’s) which are under development in several countries and are reshaping the future nuclear energy landscape.

Pereira notes: “The World Nuclear Organization recently reported that ‘the interest in small and medium nuclear power reactors is driven by a desire to reduce the impact of capital costs and to provide power away from large grid systems, and that the technologies involved are numerous and very diverse’ and it is worth for South Africa to take note of these developments.”

He further stated that South Africa could become a regional hub of Nuclear Expertise and Training, as several African countries such as Ghana and Kenya have indicated that they are pursuing Nuclear Power. Lesedi is already involved with the development of nuclear skills at several South African Universities. In 2017, Lesedi together with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) took part in a peer review at the University of the Witwatersrand and at North-West University (Post-graduate School of Nuclear Science and Engineering).

During Africa Energy Indaba Lesedi will showcase their diversified business capabilities and current projects and products:

Experience and capabilities

• Lesedi is a well-established engineering, project management and maintenance solutions house that conceptualises, manages, and implements complex bespoke engineering projects.
• It covers the full suite of engineering from mechanical, electrical, process, civil, control and instrumentation to structural designs.
• The company has vast experience in collaborating with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in a variety of contractual arrangements including Consortium, Joint Ventures, and Sub-Contracting.

Completed and current projects

• Involvement in the construction of State-owned power utility Eskom’s open-cycle gas turbines, completed in 2009.
• Ongoing maintenance and project work at Koeberg and the Medupi (Balance of Plant) and Kusile power stations.
• Emissions control and plant upgrades and modifications at various Eskom Coal Power Stations.
• The company is also looking to expand its focus outside of Africa to Saudi Arabia, which has its own nuclear project aspirations, as well as Abu Dhabi, where currently approximately 150 South Africans with nuclear experience are working. Lesedi has a global footprint having exported skilled maintenance at more than 15 nuclear plants across the world for over 15 years.
• The company is involved with the South32’s Mozal aluminium plant in their expansion increase project in Mozambique.
• Lesedi has recently completed the design and installation of a 142-kW solar electric installation for their Head Office in Century City, Cape Town. The total system is expected to generate approximately 177,507 kilowatt hours of energy annually.