South Africa
102 Rivonia Road Tower 2 EY Building, Johannesburg
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The plant
The Soetwater wind farm
The Soetwater wind farm has an operational capacity of 147 MW and is located in a remote part of the Karoo Hoogland Local Municipality in the Northern Cape. It is able to generate 585 GWh every year, potentially preventing the emission of approximately 600,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere annually. The wind farm features Vestas V136-4.2 MW wind turbines, the largest on the African continent to date.
Technology
Wind
Status
In operation
Operational capacity
147 MW
Energy production
585 GWh
CO₂ emissions avoided
600,000 metric tons per year
Energy needs met
67,917 households each year
Timeline
Milestones
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Impact on local communities
As part of our Creating Shared Value initiative, we assisted communities in close proximity to the wind farm in the following ways:
- An educational support program, which included the installation of twelve interactive smartboards for Roggeveld Primary School and Sutherland High School, which are both located in Sutherland, the closest town to the wind farm.
- To offset the devastating impact of the nationwide lockdown on vulnerable communities, we donated food relief parcels to approximately 200 families made up of women, children and the elderly. The initiative was undertaken in close consultation with the Karoo Hoogland Local Municipality.
- In partnership with local municipalities, we donated close to 1.1 tons of wooden pallets to community members and organizations, which will be used for recreational, housing and educational purposes.
Notably, additional projects, such as community leadership training, youth skills development, a drug and substance awareness campaign, further educational support to the Sutherland-based schools, equipment to upgrade the sports facility and the provision of medical supplies for the only clinic in Sutherland, have been earmarked for implementation during the third and fourth quarters of the 2022/2023 financial year.
The construction phase
We are committed to playing a crucial role in helping the country solve its energy crisis using renewable energy solutions. We also employ local staff and hire local contractors in the construction process, with the aim of promoting meaningful socio-economic and enterprise development. At the peak of the construction phase, the project employed 1,160 people.
Partnerships
The wind farm, which was awarded to Enel Green Power in April 2013 as part of round four of South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), is supported by a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement with the South African energy provider Eskom.