Name and Location
Bokpoort concentrated solar power (CSP) plant project, Northern Cape, South Africa.

Client
The Bokpoort CSP project will be owned by Acwa Power Solafrica Bokpoort CSP Power Plant, a limited liability company established under South African law, with Acwa Power as the majority shareholder.

Project Description
The project is a greenfield independent power project, which is to be developed in Grobblershoop, in the Northern Cape, as part of South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). Bokpoort was selected, with 18 other preferred bids, during the second-window evaluation of the REIPPPP in May 2012.

The Bokpoort CSP facility comprises a solar field, a power block, a thermal-energy storage system and related infrastructure such as grid interconnection, water abstraction and treatment systems. The plant will be equipped with the largest thermal storage ever adopted for a solar power plant of this class and capacity, with a thermal storage capacity of 1 300 MWh, equivalent to about 9.3 hours.

The solar field comprises loops of parabolic trough solar collector assemblies, which will absorb the heat from the sun. The solar collectors will be capable of heating the heat transfer fluid to up to 393 °C.

The power block consists of a solar steam generator and a steam turbine delivering 50 MW (net).

The thermal-energy storage system consists of two tanks of molten salts.

Value
The development has an estimated cost of R5.05-billion.

Duration
The CSP plant is expected to be commercially operational by the end of 2015.

Latest Developments
Acwa Power has reported that it will start operations at its 50 MW molten salt solar project, in the Northern Cape, in 2016.

The power project is in its commissioning phase.

The solar energy generated by the 658 000 m2 of reflector area will be fed directly into Eskom’s Garona substation, located next to the site, under a 20-year power purchase agreement.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
TSK Electrónica Y Electricidad, Acciona Infraestructuras, Acciona Ingeniería, Sener Ingeniería y Sistemas, and Crowie Concessions (engineering, procurement and construction), Nomac (operation and maintenance), Investec Bank and ABSA Bank (debt funding) and Mott MacDonald (lenders’ technical adviser).

On Budget and on Time?
Not stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Acwa, tel +966 1 283 5555 or fax +966 1 283 5500.
TSK Electrónica Y Electricidad, tel +34 985 13 41 71, fax +34 985 13 42 22 or email grupotsk@grupotsk.com.
Acciona Infraestructuras and Acciona Ingeniería, tel +34 91 663 28 50 or fax +34 91 663 28 51.
Sener Ingeniería y Sistemas, tel +34 932 283 300 or fax +34 932 283 316.
Crowie Concessions, tel +27 11 803 7000 or fax +27 11 803 7111.
Nomac, tel +966 2 614 1702, fax +966 2 651 5556 or email info@nomac.com.
Development Bank of Southern Africa, tel +27 11 313 3911 or fax +27 11 313 3086.
Investec Bank, tel +27 11 286 7000 or fax +27 11 286 7777.
Industrial Development Corporation, tel +27 11 269 3000 or fax +27 11 269 3116
Mott MacDonald, Tom Smith, tel +44 20 8774 2205 or email tom.smith@mottmac.com.