Enel Green Power is successfully completing the construction of its Oyster Bay wind farm in South Africa. The independent power producer (IPP) and subsidiary of the Italian group Enel has just started commercial operation of the wind farm located in Kouga, a municipality in the Eastern Cape province. The wind farm has a capacity of 140 MW. Construction work on the facility was launched in 2019 after the signing of a power purchase agreement (PPA) between project developer Enel Green Power and state-owned Eskom.
Rome, Italy-based IPP was awarded the concession under the 4th phase of tenders of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Program (REIPPP). The goal of this South African government program is to attract IPP investments in the rainbow nation.
Nine solar and wind farms in operation in South Africa
“The Oyster Bay wind farm is one of five wind projects awarded to Enel Green Power in April 2015. The solution is backed by a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with South African energy provider, Eskom, as part of the South African government’s REIPPP tender,” says William Price, Enel Green Power’s director in South Africa.
The renewable energy provider has invested €180 million in the construction of its Oyster Bay wind farm. The facility is capable of producing 568 GWh of electricity per year while avoiding emissions into the atmosphere of 590,000 tons of CO2 equivalent over the same period. This is the ninth such clean energy facility commissioned by Enel in South Africa.
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The other facilities are located in Nojoli (88 MW), Gibson Bay (111 MW) and Nxuba (140 MW) in the Eastern Cape, Upington (10 MW) and Adams (82.5 MW) in the Western Cape, Paleisheuwel (82.5 MW) in the Western Cape, Pulida (82.5 MW) in the Free State and Tom Burke (66 MW) in Limpopo. These solar and wind power plants inject 800 MW into the Eskom grid.
Jean Marie Takouleu