EDF Renewables in South Africa is currently leading the construction of almost 1,2 GW of low carbon power generation capacity in the country, including 763 MW wind power, 355 MW solar PV and 75 MW of battery storage. This important new build programme, consists of eight sites across the Northern and Eastern Cape Provinces, developed by EDF Renewables and its partners. The following projects all reached Financial Close between November 2022 and February 2024, and will rapidly contribute towards alleviating South Africa’s power shortage:
- The Koruson 1 cluster of three wind farms (Phezukomoya, San Kraal and Coleskop), in partnership with H1 Holdings, GIBB-Crede and a local community trust, with a total installed capacity of 420 MW.
- The Koruson 2 cluster, in partnership with Anglo American, under their joint venture, Envusa Energy. Comprising the Umsobomvu, Mooi Plaats, and Hartebeesthoek wind and solar farms, Koruson 2 will have a total electricity generation capacity of 520 MW. The project will include the incorporation of a 20% equity investment by Pele Green Energy (Pty) Ltd alongside a local community trust.
- The Umoyilanga hybrid power plant, in partnership with Perpetua Holdings (Pty) Ltd. Umoyilanga is an innovative virtual power plant that will deliver 75 MW of dispatchable power, combining 115 MW of solar PV, 63 MW of wind power and 75 MW of battery storage spread across two sites, Dassiesridge and Avondale, which are 900km apart.
The total investment across these projects is 34bn ZAR (Approximately 1.65bn EUR). The construction works are now progressing rapidly towards commissioning, and the respective Commercial Operations Dates are planned between the end of 2024 and 2026.
These power plants will contribute significantly to reducing the energy deficit, by providing close to 4TWh of low carbon electricity to the national grid per annum. In South Africa, the total energy shortage reached 14.4TWh in 2023, as indicated by Eskom.
While less than 1 GW of utility scale generation projects have been commissioned in the country since 2020, this new capacity shows that the deployment of renewable power is now accelerating rapidly.
The EDF Renewables projects are creating a significant number of jobs and small business opportunities are being encouraged through entrepreneurial programmes and use of local resources wherever possible. Approximately 40% of the projects’ value will comprise South African goods and services, and approximately 1% of revenue generated by the projects over their contractual period, will be applied to socio-economic development initiatives for nearby local communities.
Tristan de Drouas, CEO of EDF Renewables in South Africa, commented: “Our projects under construction will contribute towards meeting the energy needs of South Africans, both through government programmes and through private channels for Anglo American mines via our joint trader Envusa Energy. These constructions will have a visible impact on the current power shortage, which is a very good news for the country, and a source of pride for the teams. They are a tangible illustration of the capabilities of the EDF Group to deliver low-carbon energy solutions in South Africa.”
More information
The Koruson 1 renewable energy project outside Middelburg on the border of the Eastern and Northern Cape provinces, comprises three wind farms, namely Phezukomoya, San Kraal and Coleskop, each with installed capacities of 140 MW, totalling 420MW. It is being developed by a consortium led by EDF Renewables, together with local BEE partners, H1 Holdings, GIBB-Crede and a local community trust, and is part of Round 5 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme. It is expected to reach COD in December 2024.
The Umoyilanga project which EDF Renewables, and privately held investment company Perpetua Holdings (Pty) Ltd, are executing for the South African Government’s Risk Mitigation IPP Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP), is expected to reach COD in July 2025. This innovative project combines solar, wind and battery storage technologies to offer dispatchable and reliable power to the National Grid. The project will operate as a virtual power plant, combining generation from two sites which are 900 km apart, namely Avondale in the Northern Cape, with 115 MW of solar PV and 30 MW of battery storage, and Dassiesridge in the Eastern Cape, with 63 MW of wind and 45 MW of battery storage.
The Koruson 2 cluster of projects, located on the border of the Northern and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa, comprises the Umsobomvu wind project (140 MW), the Hartebeesthoek wind project (140 MW), and the Mooi Plaats solar project (240 MW). All projects are to reach commercial operation during 2026.
