Independent power producer Building Energy has signed a power purchase agreement with South Africa’s state owned utility Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd to build, own and operate a 4.7MW small hydroelectric plant in Free State and a 147MW wind plant in Roggeveld.
The deals, signed on 4 April, marked the official start of construction for the hydroelectric project in Kruisvallei and the wind farm, in the Laingsburg area.
Kruisvallei plant will generate around 28GWh of energy annually, catering to the energy needs of more than 2330 households. It will create more than 714 jobs during construction phase, with another 720 long-term jobs created during the operation.
The Roggeveld wind farm will generate around 613 GWh per year, and its construction will create more than 5300 new jobs.
