Final turbine up at 110 MW Perdekraal East wind project in Western Cape before lockdown

Perdekraal East Wind Farm completed the installation of all its 48 turbines in under seven months two weeks ahead of schedule. The installation was complete three days before COVID-19 restrictions came into force in South Africa.

Mainstream’s Construction Project Manager, Glenn Hobson, paid tribute to his largely South African team, who had intensified operations at the Western Cape site whenever low winds allowed.

Perdekraal East’s wind turbines stand 115 metres tall to allow for optimum energy production, and when one of the blades stand vertically, the tip height is an impressive 168m high.

The three 53.2m blades, made from fibreglass reinforced epoxy, are connected to the rotor at ground level before being lifted to the top of the turbine tower. The heaviest component is the nacelle, which contains the generator and gearbox; and weighs 86 tonnes.

110MW Perdekraal Wind Farm will have the capacity to generate 368 800 GWh/year of clean, renewable power into South Africa’s national power grid, equivalent to the annual energy needs of 111,118 homes.