Etana Energy and Mulilo have achieved financial close on a 219 MWdc utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) project near Orkney in North West Province. The project is set to supply renewable electricity to Etana Energy customers across the country through wheeling arrangements.
The project, which has export capacity of 150 MWac, is expected to produce about 478 GWh of renewable electricity a year once operational. The electricity will be wheeled via the national and municipal distribution networks to Etana Energy’s customers.
Financial close followed a power purchase agreement with Etana Energy as the sole offtaker. The project was supported by a consortium of South African funding, legal and advisory partners including Absa, Standard Bank, Fasken, Arup, PepperTree Capital and ENS Africa.
The Orkney project is the second to reach financial close between Etana Energy and Mulilo in 12 months. Etana Energy has reportedly closed more than 500 MW of renewable energy projects over the past year, including the 105 MW Du Plessis Dam Solar PV2 project and the 100 MW Zen and 94 MW Bergrivier wind farms.
Etana Energy is also wheeling electricity to Growthpoint premises across South Africa from the 5 MW Boston hydroelectric plant in the Free State, which began commercial operations in October 2025.
According to Etana Energy’s Chief Commercial and Legal Officer, Jay Govender, the Orkney solar plant is more than double the size of the company’s first solar project under construction with Mulilo and reflects growing demand from customers for large-scale renewable electricity supplied through Etana’s platform.
