Mainstream consortium wins 360MW wind energy contracts in South Africa

Mainstream Renewable Power- led consortium was named preferred bidder for three wind farms totalling 360MW by the South African Department of Energy.

The projects in the Northern Cape participate in the third round of the South African government’s Renewable Energy Procurement Programme.

The three projects include, the 140MW Khobab wind farm and the 140MW Loeriesfontein 2 in the district municipality of Namakwa and the 80MW Noupoort in the local municipality of Umsobomvu.

Mainstream Renewable Power CEO Eddie O’Connor said that the team here in Mainstream is delighted with the company’s success today.

"I understand the quality was very high; there were 93 bids submitted, only 17 were successful today and we won three of those," O’Connor added.

"Mainstream is now the leading developer of renewable energy in South Africa; we have three wind and solar projects due to be operational in the coming months and now a further three large-scale wind farms due to start construction next year."

Financial close on ZAR9bn ($912m) projects is expected by August 2014 and the construction of the projects will kick off soon after.

In 2011, a Mainstream consortium was also awarded 238MW of wind and solar projects in the first round of the program.