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 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 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 and will provide an estimated nine hours of storage.

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

Duration
Developers have set a commercial operation date for the third quarter of 2015.

Latest Developments
ACWA Power has confirmed the completion of financing and the start of construction of the Bokpoort CSP.

The plant is being equipped with the largest thermal storage system ever adopted for a solar power plant of this class and capacity to date.

Its thermal storage capacity will be 9.3 hours, enabling it to yield a record-high generation of more than 200 GWh/y well into the night, every day, throughout the year.

The construction is being undertaken by a consortium of engineering, procurement and construction contractors, comprising TSK Electrónica y Electricidad, Acciona Infrastructuras, Acciona Ingeniería, Sener Ingeniería y Sistemas, all from Spain; and South African company Crowie Concessions.  The construction of the power facility will use more than 40% of scope procured locally in South Africa.

The operation and maintenance will be undertaken by a consortium led by NOMAC, a subsidiary of ACWA Power, and Invest In Africa Energy Services, a South African services provider. 

The project has partnered with Investec Bank and Absa Bank as mandated lead arrangers to the project and who, together with Old Mutual Specialised Finance are providing the senior debt funding requirements for the project.

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) and Investec Bank and ABSA Bank (debt funding).

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 +2711 803 7000 or fax +2711 803 7111.
Nomac, tel +966 2 614 1702, fax +966 2 651 5556 or email info@nomac.com.
DBSA, tel +27 11 313 3911 or fax +27 11 313 3086.
Investec Bank, tel +27 11 286 7000 or fax +27 11 286 7777.
IDC, tel +27 11 269 3000 or fax +27 11 269 3116.