The South African public company Eskom has recently launched a call for expressions of interest for the construction and maintenance of an 80 MW/320 MWh battery-based electricity storage system in the Western Cape Province. Companies interested in this project financed by the World Bank have until September 11, 2020 to submit their bids.
As part of the Eskom Renewable Energy Support Project (ERSP), the South African state-owned company has released a call for expressions of interest for electricity storage. The call is for companies interested in providing 80 MW/320 MWh battery storage technology at the Skaapvlei substation in the town of Vredendal, Western Cape Province.
Companies interested in the Eskom tender have until September 11, 2020 to submit their bids. The successful company will sign a contract with the state-owned company for the design, engineering, supply, construction, testing and commissioning of the electricity storage system with a minimum capacity of 80 MW/320 MWh. The duration of the works will be between seven and nine months.
World Bank financing
The company will also have to ensure the maintenance of the installation for at least 5 years. The construction of an electricity storage system in the Western Cape Province is also part of the Eskom Investment Support Project (EISP). ERSP and EISP are funded by the World Bank to improve the efficiency of the Rainbow Nation’s power grid.
The electricity storage component of the Eskom Renewable Energy Support Project includes a multi-phase battery installation programme. The first phase, which is the subject of this tender, will require an investment of 7.2 billion rand (over $415 million). Eskom will rely on a loan of 245 million dollars from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (Bird), a subsidiary of the World Bank Group.
Jean Marie Takouleu
