Saudi ACWA opens $328 mln solar plant in South Africa

Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power has launched production at a $328 million (SAR 1.2 billion) solar power plant in South Africa earlier this week.

The Bokpoort Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant located in Northern Cape, Johannesburg is equipped with the largest thermal storage system ever adopted for a solar plant of this class. 

The project, which was developed by an ACWA-led consortium, aims to provide power to 200,000 homes in South Africa, which is plagued by frequent power shortages. 

Bokpoort also stands to save 230,000 tonnes of carbon emissions, South African trade minister Rob Davies said earlier this week on the sidelines of the Saudi-South African business conference in Riyadh.

The facility includes a power block, thermal energy storage, a solar field, and water treatment systems. 

The CSP plant is a first in a series of investments by ACWA power in South Africa and one of the largest investments by Saudi Arabia in the country, Saudi trade minister Tawfiq Fawzan al-Rabiah said at the conference. 

Write to Farha Abdelhaq at farha.abdelhaq@argaamnews.com