The South Africa Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded a new 88 MW PV project contract with preferred bidder status to the consortium of SolarReserve, a U.S. developer of utility-scale solar power projects, The Kensani Group, an empowerment infrastructure player in the southern African market, and Intikon Energy, a South African developer of renewable energy projects.
The preferred bidder status provides the consortium with the right to proceed with executing the 20-year government-supported power purchase agreements with the South African Power Utility, Eskom.
This award brings the successful consortium's award to three projects totaling 238 MW and accounting for a 20% share of South Africa's solar energy market, according to SolarReserve. The Jasper project, located in the Northern Cape of South Africa, was developed in response to the DOE's second bidding window for the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).
In December 2011, the consortium received preferred bidder status for two 75 MW projects in the first round of the DOE's solicitation for renewable energy projects. These two projects, the Letsatsi and Lesedi PV projects, are expected to begin construction in June.
