Page 19 - Energize January 2021
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NEWS
Additional 140 MW of wind capacity reaches COD
he Enel Group’s South African
renewable energy subsidiary Enel
TGreen Power RSA (EGP RSA) has
successfully reached commercial operation
on its 140 MW Nxuba wind farm in the
Eastern Cape province. The project, whose
construction involved an investment of
€200million (about R4billion), is expected
to generate 460 GWh of energy annually.
“This important milestone confirms
EGP’s commitment to South Africa and
cements our position as the leading
renewable independent power producer in
the country,” said Salvatore Bernabei, CEO of
Enel Green Power.
“We are continuing to make investments
to further diversify the generation mix while
promoting a sustainable and inclusive
energy transition, creating shared value for
our stakeholders.”
The Nxuba wind farm will avoid the include Pulida (82,5 MW) in the Free State, Tom Burke (66 MW) in Limpopo, and Paleishuewel
emission of approximately 460 000 tons of (82,5 MW) in the Western Cape.
CO2 annually. The wind farm will be The Garob project in the Northern Cape and Oyster Bay in the Eastern Cape will commence
supported by a 20year power supply full operation in the second quarter of 2021 and another two, Karusa and Soetwater in the
agreement with Eskom, as part of the Karoo Hoogland, in the fourth quarter of 2021, each with an installed capacity of 140 MW. The
Renewable Energy Independent Power construction of the Nxuba wind farm involved a significant skills transfer element, with EGP RSA
Producer Procurement Programme enlisting the services of small and medium enterprises from the local Blue Crane Route and
(REIPPPP) tender, which awarded in April Raymond Mhlaba municipalities to assist in the construction. Additionally, the concrete tower
2015 a total of five wind projects for 700 sections were manufactured locally in the town of Somerset East.
MW to the Enel Group in its fourth round. The facility also involved the implementation of digital tools to perform onsite quality
The project’s location in the Eastern checks and the smart tracking of wind turbine components. Using innovative solutions has
Cape makes it well suited for wind allowed for more reliable and precise data collection, thereby improving the overall quality of
generation, largely attributed to the strong work while streamlining communications between workers both on and offsite.
wind current along the province’s coastline During the construction of the facility, rigorous safety protocols were implemented, in light
between Cookhouse and the western border of the ongoing pandemic and in line with the indications provided by health authorities, with the
of Lesotho. The region is in close proximity aim to ensure the necessary protection to the workers involved in the construction as well as to
to major grid connections, making it the communities where the park is installed.
convenient to feed energy into the national The company established strict guidelines for travel, which include preventive quarantine
electricity grid. when workers move to cities outside the construction site region, increased sanitization of
With the Nxuba wind farm now online, facilities, vehicles, and environments on construction sites, as well as measures to ensure safe
EGP RSA now has eight operational projects work practices. On the construction site, the teams and operations were structured to maintain
in the country, for an overall installed social distancing. Enel Green Power also carried out testing campaigns involving all employees
capacity exceeding 650 MW. In the Eastern working on the construction sites.
Cape province, in addition to Nxuba, EGP With operational commencement now underway – thanks in part to the support of Eskom in
RSA has two other wind farms in operation, the commissioning of the facility – the Nxuba wind farm cements EGP RSA’s position as the
namely Nojoli (88 MW) and Gibson Bay (111 leading renewable independent power producer (IPP) in South Africa and demonstrates its
MW). In the Northern Cape, the company commitment to providing sustainable and clean energy to the country. n
has solar plants Upington (10 MW) and
Adams (82,5 MW). Additional solar plants Contact Enel Green Power, Tel 010 344-0200, communications.egprsa@enel.com
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