South Africa’s power utility Eskom launches tender for 19.5-MW solar plant

South Africa’s state-owned power utility Eskom has launched a tender for the design, engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning of a 19.5-MW solar plant at the Sere wind farm in the Western Cape province.

The plant will be located at the existing 105.8-MW wind farm site. The deadline for submitting applications is September 12, and the winning contractor will also manage operations and maintenance for the first two years, PV Magazine reported on September 6.

The project will involve ground-mounted solar panels with a lifespan of at least 25 years, covering less than 20 hectares of land. It will connect to the 132kV Skaapvlei substation via a dedicated 132/22kV transformer.

This solar plant is the first phase of a larger plan to expand capacity to 600 MW at the site, depending on feasibility assessment. Eskom aims to award the contract by November, with construction expected to start in 2024.

According to PV Magazine, the utility also recently issued a separate tender for a 30-MW solar project in eastern South Africa, open until October 29.