Enel, an Italian-based firm dealing in renewable energy has said this week that it has started construction 3 solar photovoltaic (PV) plants to supply 231MW to 100, 000 homes. The solar power plants will be constructed in Aurora, Paleisheuwel, and Tom Burke and Eskom will buy the power from the plants.
The construction of the solar power plants will constitute Phase 3 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) tender awarded to the company. Enel will also undertake construction of 82.5 MW Pulida photovoltaic park, 111 MW Gibson Bay wind farm and the 88 MW Cookhouse/ Nojoli wind farm.
South Africa, which has been facing biting load shedding is also undertaking the Paleisheuwel PV plant in the Western Cape Province (82.5 MW installed capacity and 153 GWh on full operation), Tom Burke photovoltaic plant (66 MW) in Limpopo Province, and Aurora photovoltaic plant in the Northern Cape Province (168 GWh generation capacity per year). All these will give off a total of 231 MW.
There was also announcement of start of construction of three wind farms at the cost of US$0.77bn under the REIPPPP.
