Mainstream Renewable Power is expanding its existing partnership with Actis to jointly develop as much as 900 megawatts of wind and solar projects in Africa by 2018.
The two companies will form Lekela Power to undertake the projects. Mainstream and Actis have already formed two partnerships in South Africa and Chile. Lekela Power will operate in a similar fashion to the existing partnerships with Mainstream taking responsibility for the management of the projects, including site identification, project development, construction management as well as the operations and maintenance of plants.
Last week Mainstream announced financial close and the start of construction for three wind farms in South Africa which will now be transferred to Lekela. The projects, which have a combined capacity of 360MW, are located in the country’s Northern Cape and were awarded to Mainstream as part of the government’s Renewable Energy Procurement Programme.
The projects are expected to reach commercial operation beginning in 2016. Mainstream also has a pipeline of other projects across Africa which will transfer to the Lekela at financial close including the 225-MW Ayitepa wind project in Ghana.