The Department of Electricity and Energy has awarded 1 290 MW of new solar PV capacity under Bid Window 7 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). The awards follow a reallocation of unused onshore wind capacity to accelerate solar procurement.
All six awarded projects are located in the Free State, and achieved bid prices of between R499,99/MWh and R514,06/MWh. The largest allocation went to Scatec ASA, which secured preferred bidder status for a total of 846 MW across three utility-scale projects forming the Kroonstad PV Cluster:
- Oslaagte Solar 2 (293 MW)
- Oslaagte Solar 3 (293 MW)
- Leeuwspruit Solar (260 MW)
“The Kroonstad PV Cluster represents a significant addition to Scatec’s growing renewable energy footprint in Sub-Saharan Africa. Being selected once again under the REIPPPP reaffirms our role as a trusted partner and a leading developer in the region,” said Scatec CEO Terje Pilskog.
The remaining 590 MW was awarded to Red Rocket, which will develop:
- Dwaalboom 3 (180 MW)
- Florida Park (200 MW)
- Virginia 4 (210 MW)
The bidding round launched in December 2023 with the original submission deadline postponed from April to August 2024 to accommodate project preparation delays.
The Department of Electricity and Energy confirmed that further allocations under Bid Window 7 may still be made to compliant bidders, subject to value-for-money assessments and megawatt reallocations, as outlined in the request for proposals.
