Preferred bidder announced for battery energy storage projects in South Africa

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has announced the preferred bidder for three battery energy storage projects in South Africa. 

A consortium led by the South African independent power producer Mulilo, in which it holds a majority stake, along with France's EDF Renewables, has been granted preferred bidder status for three battery energy storage projects. These projects, namely Oasis Aggeneis, Oasis Mookodi, and Oasis Nieuwehoop, secured contracts in the initial bidding round of South Africa's Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Procurement Programme (BESIPPPP). The combined production capacity of the three facilities is 257 MW/1,028 MWh, with a total project cost exceeding ZAR 7 billion (US$371.9 million).

Construction is scheduled to commence in mid-2024, and upon completion, the trio of projects will supply electricity through 15-year power purchase agreements to South Africa. The BESIPPPP's first bidding window saw the announcement of four preferred bidders, with Norway's Scatec and local company Perpetua Holdings securing preferred bidder status for the fourth project, the Mogobe 103 MW/412 MWh scheme.