Mainstream Renewable Power South Africa on Wednesday broke ground on the adjacent Khobab and Loeriesfontein wind farms, in the Hantam municipality, Northern Cape,
which will be developed at a combined cost of R7-billion.
Each farm comprises 61 wind turbines, each having an output of 140 MW. The projects form part of the third round of the Department of Energy’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).
Collectively, the wind farms are expected to power around 240 000 average South African households and will be operational by December 2017.
The site, spanning 6 653 ha, was chosen for its “excellent wind resource”, favourable construction conditions and straightforward electrical connection into Eskom’s Helios substation.
Siemens Wind Power will supply the turbines, with the blades, hubs and nacelles arriving from overseas and being transported by road to Loeriesfontein.
The 99-m turbine towers will be manufactured at the Gestamp wind tower mast manufacturing facility, in Atlantis, Western Cape.
A consortium comprising Murray and Roberts Construction and Consolidated Power Projects will complete the civil and electrical works for the wind farms.
The Loeriesfontein and Khobab wind farms are owned by a consortium led by Lekela Power, a JV between private equity firm Actis and Mainstream Renewable Power. Lekela Power aims to provide 1 000 MW of wind and solar power by 2018.
“We are thrilled to be adding over one-million megawatt-hours of clean, renewable energy each year to the country’s national grid; avoiding an estimated 22-million tonnes of carbon emissions over the lifespan of these projects, when compared to traditional fossil fuel power plants,” Khobab Wind Farm and Loeriesfontein Wind Farm GM Tom Thorogood said.
Northern Cape Premier Sylvia Lucas said: “We are well on our way to becoming a net producer of renewable energy to the rest of the country by 2020. Renewable energy is expected to unlock existing potential and to position the province to attract both local and foreign investment and create much needed jobs.”
