Mainstream wins €420m wind farms contract in South Africa

8 Jun 2015

A consortium led by Irish wind energy company Mainstream has won a wind energy contract in South Africa worth €420m

A consortium led by renewable energy firm Mainstream Renewable Power has been awarded a contract to build two wind farms in South Africa as part of a €420m deal.

Under the contract, the Mainstream-led consortium will build the 140MW Kangnas Wind Farm located in the Nama Khoi Municipality in the Northern Cape.

It will also build the 110MW Perdekraal East Wind Farm located in the Cape Winelands District and Witzenberg Local Municipalities of the Western Cape.

Mainstream has been awarded a total of 848MW of wind and solar projects under this programme since the first award in 2011, which is more than any other developer. In addition to these projects, Mainstream is currently constructing three wind farms in South Africa’s Northern Cape, totalling 360MW, which it was awarded under Round 3 of the programme.

Last year the company delivered three wind and solar facilities into commercial operation in South Africa under the first round of the programme.

“Here in South Africa we have already demonstrated this capability by delivering three world-class wind and solar farms into commercial operation safely, on time and on budget last year, and we currently have a further three wind farms under construction in the Northern Cape,” said Barry Lynch, Mainstream’s managing director responsible for onshore procurement, construction and operations.

Wind farm in South Africa image via Shutterstock

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com