- 380 MW solar PV facility near Beaufort West reaches financial close with 250 MW export capacity.
- Project to generate 818 GWh annually and avoid 860000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
- Mulilo surpasses 1 GW annual deployment target with total portfolio exceeding 2 GW.
Mulilo has achieved financial close on its 380 MWDC Beaufort West Solar PV facility, marking a major milestone in South Africa’s utility scale renewable energy sector. The project, located near Beaufort West in the Western Cape, is among the largest solar PV developments in the country.
The facility will deliver an installed capacity of 380 MWDC and a contracted export capacity of 250 MWAC. It will connect to the Droërivier main transmission substation, supporting efficient integration into the national grid.
This marks Mulilo’s fourth financial close in 2026, following the Orkney Solar PV project in the North West Province, as well as the Middlepunt Solar PV and Mercury BESS projects in the Free State. With the addition of Beaufort West, the company has exceeded its annual deployment target of 1 GW, with a total portfolio now surpassing 2 GW across projects in operation and under construction.
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Once operational, the plant is expected to generate approximately 818 GWh of clean electricity per year. Power will be supplied to commercial and industrial customers under a long term power purchase agreement with NOA. The project is projected to offset around 860000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually and supply electricity equivalent to the needs of about 345000 households.
The development has been supported by shareholders Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Norfund, alongside financing and advisory partners including Absa, Standard Bank, Investec and Nedbank. Legal and advisory support was provided by Bowmans, PepperTree Capital, Fasken and Arup.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
