Coega welcomes the signing of the IPP contracts

The Coega Development Corporation (CDC) on Friday welcomed government’s commitment to clean energy, following the signing of 27 power purchase agreements with renewable-energy producers, reigniting the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.

The projects which are expected to add 2 300 MW of electricity to the national grid over the next five years, should generate various localisation opportunities, said CDC energyproject development manager Sandisiwe Ncemane. The Coega Special Economic Zone (SEZ), in the Eastern Cape, hosts a wind tower manufacturing facility that has supplied wind towers to the various projects under the REIPPPP.

The two-year delay in the programme has placed strain on the domestic manufacturing facilities that were established to supply components to renewable-energyprojects. To complement the logistics movement of the wind blades, the CDC has invested over R9-million in a lay down area for normal and abnormal cargo.

The 12 ha of land in Zone 1 of the Coega SEZ, located on the boundary between the Port of Ngqura in the Eastern Cape and the Coega SEZ, has played an integral role in the regional connection of wind power. Coega has also been allocated a 1 000 MW plant in the independent power producer gas-to-power programme. As such, the organisation is driving an environmental impact assessment for the planned gas-to-power plant, for which a request for proposals is only expected next year.