Name and Location
Jeffreys Bay onshore wind farm project, Eastern Cape, South Africa.

Client
The Jeffreys Bay Wind farm is owned by a consortium, comprising Globeleq, Mainstream Renewable Power, Old Mutual Life Assurance Company, Thebe Investment Corporation, Jeffreys Bay Community Trust, Enzani Technologies and Usizo Engineering.

Project Description
The project is among the preferred bidders for the provision of wind power, announced by the Department of Energy, following the first bid window under South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme.

The project proposes the construction of a 138 MW onshore wind farm near Jeffreys Bay, in the Kouga municipal area of the Eastern Cape. The project will use wind turbines, with a combined maximum generating capacity of 180 MW, and will produce 460 000 MWh/y.

The project will comprise 60 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 2.3 MW, and a rotor diameter of 101 m.

The project will avoid carbon dioxide emissions of 420 000 t/y and will have water savings of about 871-million litres a year.

Value
R3.17-billion.

Duration
The wind farm is scheduled to start producing electricity in mid-2014.

Latest Developments
Construction has started on the first of 60 wind turbines at the Jeffreys Bay onshore wind farm project.

The construction of a single turbine by two specialist cranes working simultaneously is expected to take two to three days, depending on the weather.

The transportation of the wind turbines, from the Port of Ngqura, near Port Elizabeth, to the site, started in July, with more than 100 loads having been transported within the first month.

Loads were transported to the wind farm as single abnormal consignments with the largest blade deliveries requiring police escorts.

The wind farm operators have stated that deliveries are on schedule and that the last turbines should arrive on site during January 2014.

The wind turbines are 80 m tall to allow for optimum energy production; however, when one of the blades is positioned vertically the turbine’s tip height would be 132 m.

The heaviest component of the turbine, at 86 t, is the nacelle, which contains the generator and gearbox.

Three 49 m blades, made from fibreglass reinforced epoxy, will be connected to the rotor at ground level before being hoisted to the top of the turbine.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Mainstream Renewable Power (financier), Siemens Southern Africa (delivery, installation, commissioning and maintenance of wind turbines), Murray and Roberts Construction (engineering and contracting services) and Consolidated Power Projects (civil and electrical work).

On Budget and on Time?
The project remains on schedule to start commercial operations in May 2014 and is still within budget.

Contact Details for Project Information
Globeleq, tel +44 20 7 234 5400, fax +44 20 7 234 5486 or email info@globeleq.com.
Siemens Southern Africa media relations, Hulisani Nemaxwi, tel + 27 11 652 267 or email hulisani.nemaxwi@siemens.com.
Mainstream Renewable Power South Africa project manager Kevin Foster, tel +27 21 657 4040, fax +27 21 671 5665 or email kevin.foster@mainstreamrp.com.
Thebe Investment Corporation, tel +27 11 447 7800, fax +27 11 447 5502 or email info@thebe.co.za.
Enzani Technologies, tel +27 11 835 1880, fax +27 11 835 1885 or email info@enzani.co.za.
Usizo Engineering, tel +27 11 609 7560 or fax +27 11 609 7518.
Murray & Roberts Construction, tel +27 11 456 6200, fax +27 11 455 2222 or email info@murrob.com.
Consolidated Power Projects, tel +27 11 805 4281 or fax +27 11 805 1132.