Preferred bidders under renewable energy programme appointed

23 December 2024 - 18:39
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Eight preferred bidders under the renewable energy independent power procurement programme appointed.
Eight preferred bidders under the renewable energy independent power procurement programme appointed.
Image: REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen/ File photo

Minister of electricity and energy Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa announced the appointment of eight preferred bidders under the renewable energy independent power procurement programme Bid Window 7. 

The programme aims to procure 615MW to provide capacity and energy services to Eskom at eight sites in North West, the Free State and Gauteng.

The programme has a combined contracted capacity of 1,760MW.

Ramokgopa also announced eight preferred bidders under the Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (BESIPPPP) Bid Window 2.   

The department said both bid windows were released to market on December 14 last year and bids were received in August this year.

Evaluations were conducted over three months by independent bid evaluation committees under strict security measures at the Independent Power Producers Office.

Ministerial spokesperson Tsakane Khambane said the seventh bid window of the REIPPPP (REIPPPP BW 7) was designed to facilitate the procurement of up to 5,000MW in renewable energy capacity, comprising 1,800MW Solar PV and 3,200MW onshore wind capacity.

She said the department received a total of 48 bid responses, totalling over 10.2GW, including 40 from solar PV and eight from onshore wind projects on August 15.

After the independent evaluation, 30 solar PV projects and four onshore wind projects were evaluated as compliant with the requirements of the request for proposals (RFP).

Of these, eight solar PV projects, totalling 1 760MW, have been appointed as preferred bidders under the REIPPPP Bid Window 7. 

“The department is further considering the appointment of additional compliant bidders in both onshore wind and solar PV that are eligible for appointment as preferred bidders, subject to value for money negotiations and the reallocation of MW under this bid window from onshore wind technology to solar PV technology, as provided for in the RFPs,” said Khambane. 

Total investments from the eight solar PV preferred bidders in this bid window is R31.4bn.

The preferred bidders have committed to creating 1,570 job opportunities during construction and operations.

 TimesLIVE


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