South African engineering company Merz and McLellan, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Mott MacDonald Group, has been appointed as the owner’s engineer for the two peaking power projects being developed in South Africa, with a combined capacity of 1 005 MW.
The company will carry out engineering and construction monitoring services at both the 670 MW Avon facility, in KwaZulu-Natal, and the 335 MW Dedisa plant, in the Eastern Cape.
The build, own and operate package for the projects was awarded by the Department of Energy earlier this year to a consortium comprising GDF SUEZ, Legend Power Solutions, Mitsui and The Peaker Trust.
Investec is the coordinating mandated lead arranger and provided senior debt facilities in a syndicate of six financial institutions for the projects, which will involve an investment of R9.7-billion.
Ansaldo Energia and Fata have been awarded the engineering, procurement and construction contract.
Mott MacDonald African Power’s Jason Rowan describes the projects as the largest ever to be built and operated by an independent power producer in South Africa.
“One of the benefits of these peaking plants is that they are quick to build and they are expected to achieve commercial operation within 30 months after site teams are mobilised,” he said in a statement.