Mainstream Renewable Power resumes construction work in Perdekraal East wind project

Mainstream Renewable Power has resumed the construction of the Perdekraal East wind project with the delivery of the 500MVA mega transformer in the Western Cape, South Africa. 

The transformer, now awaiting installation at a substation near the town of Ceres, will step up the voltage of the wind farm’s generated power to 400kV, making it suitable to feed into the national grid.

The 110 MW Perdekraal Wind Farm is being constructed and will be operated by Mainstream with the joint venture of Lekela Power. When commissioned later this year, it 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.

The restart of construction work at Perdekraal East and its Northern Cape sister project, Kangnas, has been accompanied by stringent Covid-19 protocols. Sanitizing regimes are in place, along with inductions on safety procedures and checklists to ensure all personnel had valid documentation and the correct PPE. All personnel must undergo daily temperature screenings. Only small maintenance teams remained on sites at the height of South Africa’s lockdown restrictions.