EDF Power Solutions has commissioned the 420 MW Koruson 1 wind power cluster in South Africa, adding new renewable energy capacity to the national grid under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.
The Koruson 1 development consists of three wind farms (San Kraal, Phezukomoya and Coleskop), located between Noupoort and Middelburg, on the border of the Eastern and the Northern Cape.
EDF Power Solutions said the project was developed by a consortium led by the company together with partners H1 Holdings, Gibb-Crede and a local community trust. The project operates under a 20-year power purchase agreement with the national grid operator.
According to EDF Power Solutions, the cluster comprises 78 wind turbines, each with capacity of 5.6 MW, bringing the total installed capacity to 420 MW. The project is expected to generate electricity equivalent to the annual consumption of about 579 000 South African households and avoid roughly 1,8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
“We are pleased to achieve full commercial operation on Koruson 1. The project contributes significantly to meeting South Africa’s electricity requirements while avoiding approximately 1,8 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year,” said Tristan de Drouas, Vice President of EDF Power Solutions Southern Africa.
The development also required supporting grid infrastructure, including the construction of what EDF Power Solutions describes as the largest privately built main transmission substation in South Africa.
The substation has been designed to connect up to 1,5 GW of renewable energy projects to the national grid.
