EDF power solutions’ Umoyilanga hybrid project reached its Provisional Commercial Operations Date (Provisional COD) on 5 December with the commissioning of the Dassiesridge plant, located in the Eastern Cape province. This milestone initiates the delivery of a Net Dependable Capacity of 55MW to the national grid, in line with the agreement signed with the National Transmission Company of South Africa (NTCSA).
A multi-technology setup across two locations
The Umoyilanga project is designed as a virtual power plant, combining solar, wind and battery storage technologies. It spans two sites 900 km apart: Avondale in the Northern Cape, equipped with 115 MW of photovoltaic solar and 30 MW of battery storage, and Dassiesridge with 63 MW of wind power and 45 MW of storage. The project’s contracted capacity totals 75 MW, allowing for reliable dispatchable electricity. Based on Eskom’s residential consumption average, the electricity generated could supply 120,000 households over 20 years.
Local construction and contractual commitments met
Construction of the Dassiesridge facility took two years, involving nearly one million man-hours, primarily sourced from local labour. The project was delivered in collaboration with Power Construction, Adenco for balance of plant, and Vestas for wind turbines. It has also met its Economic Development obligations, particularly in terms of local content and procurement from South African suppliers.
Full capacity expected in 2026
The provisional period will continue until full Commercial Operations Date is reached, following the commissioning of the Avondale site. Once fully operational, Umoyilanga will support local development with over ZAR200mn ($10.6mn) earmarked for supplier development, training, enterprise support and socio-economic initiatives over its 20-year operating period.
“Our focus now shifts fully to optimising dispatched energy with Dassiesridge, and resolving outstanding issues at Avondale, to achieve full COD as early as possible in 2026,” said Grégoire de Montgolfier, Umoyilanga Project Director.
A project from a strategic government programme
The Umoyilanga project is the result of a consortium between EDF Renewables, now EDF power solutions, and private investment company Perpetua Holdings (Pty) Ltd. It was awarded in March 2021 as part of the South African government’s Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP). The project reached Commercial and Financial Close at the end of November 2023, following the signing of the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and Implementation Agreement (IA) a few months earlier.
