India's Suzlon bags 135 MW project in South Africa
Renewable Energy | 2011-12-08 06:39:02
India's Suzlon Group, the world's fifth largest wind turbine supplier has secured the Cookhouse Wind Energy Facility project in South Africa. This project will utilize Suzlon's 2.1 MW turbines
DURBAN (Scrap Monster): India’s Suzlon Group, the world’s fifth largest wind turbine supplier has secured the Cookhouse Wind Energy Facility project in South Africa. This project will utilize Suzlon’s 2.1 MW turbines.
South Africa’s Minister for Energy, Dipuo Peters, on Wednesday announced her Department’s approval of the Cookhouse Wind Energy Facility project to be carried out in Eastern Cape, by Suzlon Group.
The Cookhouse Wind Energy Facility is one of South Africa's leading renewable energy projects, having received a positive Record of Decision from the Department of Environment for the erection of up to 200 wind turbines; enough to power over 88,000 homes.
Suzlon announced its partnership with African Clean Energy Developments (ACED), African Infrastructure Investment Managers (a company held by Old Mutual Investment Group (South Africa) and Macquarie Capital) and AFPOC Limited, earlier this year.
Working closely with its partner, the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa, and with its appointed Mandated Lead Arrangers, Standard Bank and Nedbank Limited, ACED finalised a financing package which notably includes a significant portion of Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment ownership.
Speaking on the development, Thomas Donnelly, Managing Director – ACED, said: “This is an important milestone for the project, ACED and for South Africa. The Cookhouse project marks a major first step in our plans to build a 1 GW renewable energy portfolio over the next three years, with our 200 turbine agreement with Suzlon at the core of our plans.
“In addition to providing clean power – this project, and wind energy, have incredible potential for local job creation sustainable economic development.”
Tulsi R. Tanti, founder, Chairman and Managing Director – Suzlon Group, said: “This is excellent news for South Africa and a concrete first step of the South African Renewables Initiative (SARI). We are extremely proud to be in the first wave of the Cookhouse project.
As the Cookhouse Wind Energy Facility successfully secured a Power Purchase Agreement under the South African REBID procurement process, commencement of this project is due to begin 2012.