Name and Location
De Wildt Solar Park project.

Location
Madibeng local municipality, close to the town of Brits, in South Africa’s North West province.

Project Owner/s
Zolograph Investments, owned by Old Mutual IDEAS Managed Fund, African Rainbow Energy and Power, Reatile Group and Phakwe Solar.

Project Description
The 50 MW De Wildt project was awarded preferred bidder status by the Department of Energy in June 2015 as part of the additional 13 projects that were awarded in the fourth round of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.

The plant comprises 169 140 solar modules and is expected to feed 123 GWh/y into the country’s national power grid through Eskom’s Zolograph switching station.

The solar project will use single-axis tracker technology.

Potential Job Creation
About 400 people from the local beneficiary communities were directly employed on the project during construction, in addition to the employment created through the contracting out of various services.

The focus of De Wildt Solar’s economic development programme is to empower and strengthen local beneficiary communities with a focus on education, as well as youth development, health, food security and welfare.

The programmes have been chosen following research and engagement to ensure that they are well informed and will strengthen the beneficiary communities.

Additionally, De Wildt Solar notes that a percentage of the revenue it generates every year will be committed to implementing enterprise development initiatives. The first beneficiary – a brick-making facility called Moagi Women Development Primary Cooperative, in the Mmakau community – received support during the project’s construction phase.

Capital Expenditure
Not stated.

Planned Start/End Date
Not stated.

Latest Developments
The De Wildt Solar Park entered into commercial operations on January 23, having achieved facility completion.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Cobra Energia (engineering, procurement and construction contract).

Contact Details for Project Information
Phakwe Solar, tel +27 11 805 3324.
Reatile Group, tel +27 10 593 2436 or email info@reatile.co.za.