A seventh preferred bidder under the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy’s (DMRE’s) Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP) – the ACWA Power Project DAO – reached legal close on December 14.
The project, with contracted capacity of 150 MW, is the seventh hybrid renewable energy project to reach legal close under the RMIPPPP and consists of a hybrid solar photovoltaic and battery storage technologies.
The project will be developed by ACWA Power Project DAO and is expected to reach commercial operation in early 2026.
In addition to the legal close of ACWA Power Project DOA, the DMRE also reports that both Oya Energy Hybrid Facility and Mulilo Total Hydra Storage – with a combined 203 MW of generating capacity – reached commercial close on December 14, with these projects entering into the construction phase of their development.
As such, the DMRE highlights that seven out of 11 appointed preferred bidders under the RMIPPPP have signed agreements, bringing the total investment attracted from all the projects that have signed agreements to date under the RMIPPPP to R42.8-billion.
Together, the seven independent power producers will add a total of 578 MW of dispatchable capacity to the national grid of South Africa.
Further, the DMRE also notes that a total of 17 projects, totalling 1 587 MW, procured under the RMIPPPP and the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme’s bid window five, have achieved commercial close and are now in construction phase. Of this, 150 MW worth of generation has already reached commercial operation.