South Africa-based independent power producer Renewable Energy Holdings (REH) has received the Monsonyi award for excellence in hydropower from the International Hydropower Association (IHA).
The award recognises individuals within IHA’s membership for outstanding contributions to the sector.
“Huge potential exists for hydropower development in Africa and we have achieved many notable goals over the past decade,” says REH MD Anton-Louis Olivier, whose company has developed hydropower projects, near Bethlehem, in the Free State.
REH develops hydropower plants from the greenfield stage through to financial close and operates the plant. The company has partnered with engineering and infrastructure advisory group Aurecon to develop and implement the Stortemelk, and the Merino and Sol Plaatje hydropower plants.
The Stortemelk hydropower plant, developed under a project finance structure, has an installed capacity of 4.4 MW and operates as a run-of-river power station with an estimated annual output of 28 GWh. Construction started in October 2014 and 22 months later, in July 2016, the plant reached commercial operations.
Bethlehem Hydro Project comprises the Merino and Sol Plaatje mini hydro stations. The project was initiated to generate renewable electricity from the flow of water which runs into the Ash river as part of the Lesotho Highlands Water Scheme. The two sites were commissioned in 2009 and 2010, respectively.
Aurecon technical director Bertrand Rochecouste Collet comments that these projects have delivered “many firsts” for hydropower stations in South Africa. He points out that Aurecon is working with REH on several other schemes.