Name of the Project
Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) – Bid Window (BW) 6.

Location
Bids have been submitted across the Eastern Cape, the Free State, Limpopo, the Northern Cape, the North West and the Western Cape provinces of South Africa.

Project Owner/s
Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE).

Project Description
The DMRE invited interested parties on April 6, 2022, to register prospective bids under REIPPPP – BW 6.

BW 6 initially had an allocation of 2 600 MW, but this was subsequently increased to 4 200 MW, as part of measures announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in July 2022 to tackle loadshedding.

In October 2022, the DMRE announced that 56 wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) projects had been submitted by prospective bidders under BW 6 across five provinces – the Western Cape (24 projects), the Eastern Cape (six projects), the Free State (11 projects), Limpopo (one project), the Northern Cape (six projects), the North West (eight projects) and the Western Cape (24 projects).

However, in December 2022, Minister of Minerals Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe announced the appointment of only five preferred bidders, with a combined capacity of 860 MW, following the evaluation of bids made.

A sixth project has also been identified as eligible and government is in discussion with the potential bidder on conditions for appointment, which, if concluded, could increase capacity of preferred projects to 1 000 MW.

All six bidders are solar PV projects, with none of the 23 wind projects submitted under BW6 attaining preferred-bidder status.

The 23 wind projects, with a combined capacity of more than  4 100 MW, which did not achieve preferred bidder status, owing to insufficient grid access/capacity included:

• Wolseley Wind Farm, Western Cape (123.9 MW)
• Langhoogte Wind Farm, Western Cape (80 MW)
• Jessa M Wind Energy, Western Cape (205.6 MW)
• Jessa Z Wind Energy Facility, Western Cape (205.8 MW)
• Haga Haga Wind Energy Facility, Eastern Cape (140 MW)
• Kwagga Wind Energy Facility 1, Western Cape (162 MW)
• Kwagga Wind Energy Facility 2, Western Cape (225 MW)
• Kwagga Wind Energy Facility 3, Western Cape (148.5 MW)
• Pienaarspoort Wind Energy Facility 1, Western Cape (180 MW)
• Pienaarspoort Wind Energy Facility 1, Western Cape (140 MW)
• Bayview Wind Farm, Eastern Cape (140 MW)
• Nuweveld North Wind Farm, Western Cape (240 MW)
• Nuweveld West Wind Farm, Western Cape (240 MW)
• Nuweveld East Wind Farm, Western Cape (240 MW)
• Ishwati Emoyeni Wind Farm, Western Cape (140 MW)
• Komsberg East Wind Farm, Western Cape (240 MW)
• Komsberg West Wind Farm, Western Cape (240 MW)
• Malabar Wind Farm, Eastern Cape (212.4 MW)
• Loperberg Wind Farm, Eastern Cape (240 MW)
• Esizayo Wind Energy Facility, Western Cape (140 MW)
• Maralla Wind West, Northern Cape (153 MW)
• Golden Valley II Wind Farm, Eastern Cape (140 MW)
• Great Kei Wind Energy Facility, Eastern Cape (140 MW)

In addition, only solar projects in the North West and Free State provinces received appointment letters, with the bulk of the remaining 27 solar projects failing to secure grid access.

The projects named as preferred bidders include the 150 MW Kutlwano solar power plant, the 150 MW Boitumelo solar power plant and the 120 MW Doornhoek PV facility, in the North West; and the 240 MW Virginia solar park and the 200 MW Good Hope solar park, in the Free State.

The solar projects that did not achieve preferred bidder status included:

• Solar Capital De Aar 2, Northern Cape (80 MW)
• Solar Capital Stiltevrede 2, Northern Cape (100 MW)
• Hoek Doornen PV A, Western Cape (240 MW)
• Hoek Doornen PV B, Western Cape (160 MW)
• Witte Wall PV A, Western Cape (240 MW)
• Ennex Solar, Western Cape (140 MW)
• Boitumelo solar power plant, North West (150 MW)
• Kutlwano solar power plant, North West (150 MW)
• Lerato solar power plant, North West (150 MW)
• Amagama solar PV, Free State (125 MW)
• Indlovu solar PV, Free State (240 MW)
• Ngonyama solar PV, Free State (240 MW)
• Keren Energy Visserspan No 1, Free State (100 MW)
• Keren Energy Visserspan No 2, Free State (100 MW)
• Keren Energy Visserspan No 3, Free State (100 MW)
• Keren Energy Visserspan No 4, Free State (100 MW)
• Orion Solar One, North West (205 MW)
• Alldays solar energy facility, Limpopo (75 MW)
• Project San, Northern Cape (240 MW)
• Project Woodhouse Solar, North West (175 MW)
• Irene PV facility, Free State (200 MW)
• Lily PV facility, Western Cape (240 MW)
• Compton PV facility, Western Cape (240 MW)
• Boschrand 2, Free State (150 MW)
• Orange River solar facility, Northern Cape (50 MW)
• Salsola PV, Western Cape (240 MW)
• Hoodia PV, Western Cape (240 MW)
• Rosenia PV, Western Cape (240 MW)
• Setaria PV, North West (200 MW)
• Barleria PV, North West (80 MW)

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
No value has been disclosed.

Planned Start/End Date
The assessment of the bids started on October 5, 2022.

Latest Developments
None stated.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
DMRE project officer, email query@ipp-renewables.co.za.