Acciona puts online 74-MW PV park in South Africa

Dec 11, 2014 - Spanish engineering and renewables group Acciona (BME:ANA) said today its energy arm has put onstream the 74-MW Sishen solar plant in South Africa’s Northern Cape province.

Acciona Energia and South African infrastructure company Aveng started building the power station in August 2013 and plugged it in late last month. The South African Energy Department approved the project in the second round of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). The goal of the five-stage programme is to award power purchase agreements (PPAs) to a total of 3,725 MW of renewable energy schemes.

The Sishen solar park has a peak capacity of 94.3 MW and comprises 470 solar trackers that support 319,600 photovoltaic (PV) panels. Its annual output is estimated at 216 GWh, which is enough to meet the consumption of around 100,000 South African homes. The produced electricity will be sold to state-owned power utility Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd under a long-term contract.

Acciona Energia holds a 51% stake in the solar park, while Aveng has a 29% interest. Each of Soul City Broad-Based Empowerment Co (SCBBEC) and the Local Community Trust own 10% of the plant.

The Spanish group is currently completing the installation of a 138-MW wind park in South Africa’s Western Cape province and is also involved in building the 50-MW Bokpport solar thermal power facility in Northern Cape.

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