Cape Town plans R1.2-billion solar plant to reduce loadshedding

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has announced that the City will design, build, and operate a R1,2 billion solar PV plant thanks to international support. The plant near Somerset West will have battery storage capable of providing up to a full stage of load-shedding protection, and is part of a 3-year plan to make Cape Town the first loadshedding-free city in South Africa.

This is one of two projects awarded support from the C40 Cities Finance Facility (CFF), which offers cities technical and financial assistance in support of a green and just transition.

The CFF initiative is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Government of the United Kingdom and the Agence Française de Development (AFD), and is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH together with the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group.

Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said:

« It gives me great pleasure to announce that the City’s Paardevlei ground mounted solar PV and battery storage project just outside Somerset West will yield up to 60MW of renewable energy – enough to protect against one full stage of Eskom’s load-shedding. The C40 CFF will support the project team in their efforts to undertake a technical feasibility study. This project is another critical step in our journey away from Eskom reliance and towards a load-shedding-free Cape Town. We are confident that Cape Town will be the first metro to free our economy from power disruptions, and ensure a green and just energy transition. »

Christopher Fry, DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Energy, said he welcomes the announcement and revealed that in total the City of Cape Town will spend R2.3 billion over the next three years to become South Africa’s first loadshedding free city.

« I applaud the City of Cape Town for showing what is possible with innovative and forward-thinking government, » said Fry.