South Africa Picks Bidders for Emergency Power Generation
- Projects are expected to be brought online within 18 months
- Releasing request for proposals for fifth renewable round
Gwede Mantashe
Photographer: Rodger Bosch/AFP/Getty Images
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South Africa announced the preferred bidders to provide emergency power as the state-run electricity utility continues to implement rolling blackouts that are weighing on the economy.
The eight bidders will provide a total of 1,845 megawatts from various technologies to be connected to the grid by August 2022, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe said Thursday in a presentation. The projects equate to private sector investment of 45 billion rand ($3 billion) under the so-called Risk Mitigation Independent Power Procurement Program and should reach financial close by the end of July.