Enel Green Power has begun construction on three solar photovoltaic plants in South Africa that have a combined capacity of 231 megawatts.
The projects are Aurora, Paleisheuwel, Tom Burke plants With an installed capacity of 82.5MW, the Aurora photovoltaic plant, located in the Northern Cape Province, will be capable of generating more than 168 gigawatt housr per year once is it starts operating.
The Paleisheuwel photovoltaic plant will also have an installed capacity of 82.5MW and will be built in the Western Cape Province. Once fully operational, it will be able to generate more than 153 GWh per year. With an installed capacity of 66MW, the Tom Burke photovoltaic plant, located in the Limpopo Province, will be capable of generating up to 122 GWh per year once up and running.
The energy generated by the project will be sold to South African utility Eskom, with whom Enel has signed power-purchase agreements.
Enel was awarded the projects in the third phase of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme tender held by the South African government in October 2013. In the same tender, in addition to the three above mentioned projects, Enel Green Power was also awarded the right to build the 82.5-MW Pulida solar project, the 111-MW Gibson Bay wind farm and the 88-MW Cookhouse/Nojoli wind farm.
Enel Green Power owns and operates the 10-MW Upington solar power plant in South Africa.