Name of the Project
Nxuba Wind Farm.

Location
Amatole district, in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province.

Project Owner/s
Enel Green Power (EGP) RSA, a subsidiary of Enel Green Power (EGP).

Project Description
The 140 MW Nxuba Wind Farm project forms part of the 700 MW of wind capacity awarded to Enel following the South African government’s Round 4 Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) tender, which was awarded in April 2015.

Nxuba is expected to generate more than 460 GWh/y, and will mitigate the emission of about 460 000 t/y of carbon dioxide. It will be supported by a 20-year power supply agreement with power utility Eskom, as part of the REIPPPP.

Potential Job Creation
The construction of the wind farm involved a significant skills transfer element, with EGP RSA enlisting the services of small and medium-sized enterprises from the local Blue Crane Route and Raymond Mhlaba municipalities to assist with construction.

Additionally, the concrete tower sections were manufactured locally in the town of Somerset East.

Capital Expenditure
The project was built at a cost of €200-million.

Planned Start/End Date
Not stated.

Latest Developments
EGP RSA has successfully reached commercial operation of its Nxuba Wind Farm.

With the wind farm coming on line, EGP RSA has eight operational projects in the country for an overall installed capacity of more than 650 MW. In the Eastern Cape, in addition to Nxuba, EGP has two other wind farms in operation – Nojoli (88 MW) and Gibson Bay (111 MW).

In the Northern Cape, the company has solar plants Upington (10 MW) and Adams (82.5 MW). Additional solar plants include Pulida (82.5 MW) in the Free State, Tom Burke (66 MW) in Limpopo, and Paleisheuwel (82.5 MW) in the Western Cape.

Two projects, Garob in the Northern Cape, and Oyster Bay in the Eastern Cape, will start full operation in the second quarter of 2021. Karusa and Soetwater, in the Karoo Hoogland, are set to start operations in the fourth quarter of this year – each with an installed capacity of 140 MW.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
EGP, tel +39 06 8305 5699 or email ufficiostampa@enel.com.