Inside South African Wind - ENEL Green Power Awarded 280MW in Public Tender

These projects mark a significant step forward in the consolidation of Enel Green Power Group in Africa, with the company now awarded a total of over 1,200 MW of wind and solar power in South African public tenders.

Enel Green Power (EGP) has been awarded the right to sign 20-year energy supply contracts with South African utility Eskom for an additional 280 MW of wind power projects in the fourth phase of the REIPPPP (Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme) tender, which is being promoted by the South African government.

In line with REIPPPP’s rules, EGP participated in the tender through vehicle companies in which it holds the majority of the shares, in partnership with major local players.

The Soetwater (142 MW) and Garob (138 MW) wind farms, which will be built in areas of the Northern Cape Province that have significant wind resources, will be completed and enter operation by 2018. EGP will be investing a total of approximately 340 million euros in the new projects, in line with EGP growth targets set out in its current strategic plan.

Once completed, the two facilities will be able to generate around 1,000 GWh per year, and will help satisfy South Africa’s rising energy demand in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way.

"With the award of this additional wind capacity, Enel Green Power has consolidated its position as the largest private renewable energy player in the whole of Africa," said Francesco Venturini, Chief Executive Officer of Enel Green Power. "South Africa, where electricity demand is still expanding rapidly and the economy is growing, with a stable regulatory and legislative framework, maintains its position as a strategic country for our company. We are ready to more than double our investment there, increasing it to more than 1.3 billion euros from 600 million euros."
 
Soetwater and Garob projects, which add to the Oyster Bay (142 MW), Nxuba (141 MW) and Karusa (142 MW) wind farms, bring the total capacity awarded to Enel Green Power Group in the fourth round of the REIPPPP tender up to 705 MW. These projects mark a significant step forward in the consolidation of the Group in Africa, with the company now awarded a total of over 1,200 MW of wind and solar power in South African public tenders.

The new projects will join the 10 MW Upington solar power plant in operation in the country and the 513 MW of projects for which 20-year power supply contracts with Eskom have been signed, following the third phase of the REIPPPP in 2013. These projects are the Aurora (82.5 MW), Tom Burke (66 MW), Paleisheuwel and Pulida (both 82.5 MW) solar facilities, and the Gibson Bay (111 MW) and Nojoli (88 MW) wind farms.

Enel Green Power is the Enel Group company fully dedicated to the international development and management of renewable energy sources, with operations in Europe, the Americas and Africa. With a generation capacity equal to approximately 32 billion kWh in 2014 from water, sun, wind and the Earth’s heat – enough to meet the energy needs of more than 11 million households – Enel Green Power is a world leader in the sector thanks to its well-balanced generation mix that provides generation volumes well over the sector average. As of today, the company has an installed capacity of more than 9,800 MW from a mix of sources including wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal and biomass. The company has about 740 plants operating in 15 countries.