Name of the Project
Kangnas Wind Farm and Perdekraal East Wind Farm.

Location
The Kangnas Wind Farm is located near Springbok, in South Africa’s Northern Cape province. The Perdekraal East Wind Farm is located 80 km north-east of Ceres, in South Africa’s Western Cape province.

Project Owner/s
The equity members of the projects include African Rainbow Energy & Power; H1 Holdings; local community members through established community trusts, with shareholding funded by other project equity partners; Lekela; Mainstream Renewable Power, along with a consortium of investors, such as the International Finance Corporation and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund; and Old Mutual Life Assurance Company.

Project Description
The project entails the construction of two wind farms with a combined capacity of 250 MW.

Kangnas will have a 140 MW capacity and Perdekraal East a 110 MW capacity.

Perdekraal will generate about 368.8 GWh/y, which is expected to be enough power for up to 95 000 South African homes.

The projects were awarded under the South African Department of Energy’s fourth round of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.

Potential Job Creation
During the construction phase of Perdekraal East Wind Farm, local communities will have access to skills and training opportunities, as well as greater job and business opportunities than those previously available in the area. Perdekraal and its contractors will also focus on procuring goods and services locally.

Employment will fluctuate over Perdekraal’s two-year construction period, with local employment having peaked during the latter half of 2018, when an estimated 150 jobs were created.

The Kangnas Wind Farm is providing employment for more than 275 people from the surrounding local Springbok community during the construction phase.

Capital Expenditure
The projects represent an investment of about R6.6-billion.

Planned Start/End Date
The two wind projects will be connected to the country’s national grid by August 2020.

Latest Developments
Perdekraal East Wind Farm installed its forty-eighth and final wind turbine, two weeks ahead of schedule, on March 24.

The final lifting was a celebratory moment for the largely South African crew members, who have since left the construction site, in compliance with the Covid-19 lockdown, which came into effect just three days after this milestone.

The dedicated turbine installation crew began the erection of the first of its 48 wind turbines in August 2019.

The crew capitalised on periods of low wind to install all the turbines, completing this operation 13 days ahead of schedule.

The wind turbines stand 115 m tall to allow for optimum energy production; however, when one of the blades is positioned vertically, the turbine’s tip height is 168 m.

The three 53.2 m blades, made from fibreglass reinforced epoxy, are connected to the rotor at ground level before being lifted to the top of the turbine tower.

The heaviest component is the nacelle, which contains the generator and gearbox and weighs 86 t.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Absa (debt); Simmons & Simmons and White & Case (lenders’ legal adviser); Fasken and Stoel Rives (sponsor legal counsel); Concor and Conco (construction contractor) and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (supply and installation of wind turbines).

Contact Details for Project Information
Mainstream Renewable Power, tel +27 21 657 4040.
H1 Holdings, tel +27 21 201 6432 or email info@h1holdings.co.za.
Lekela, tel +44 203 301 6280 or email info@lekela.com.