- 76 MW and 304 MWh Mercury BESS reaches financial close under Bid Window 2.
- Portfolio expands to about 3,508 MWh across nine awarded projects.
- Project supports grid stability and renewable energy integration under a 15 year PPA.
Mulilo has reached financial close on the Mercury battery energy storage system project, a 76 MW and 304 MWh facility located near Viljoenskroon in South Africa’s Free State Province. The milestone follows the company’s recent commercial close on the same project, signalling continued delivery momentum in the country’s energy storage sector.
The Mercury project forms part of South Africa’s Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme under Bid Window 2. It represents a key addition to Mulilo’s growing portfolio, which now includes nine awarded battery storage projects across Bid Windows 2 and 3, with a combined capacity of about 3,508 MWh. The company is also involved in three Oasis projects under Bid Window 1 that are currently under construction.
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The project will operate under a 15 year power purchase agreement with the National Transmission Company South Africa. Once operational, it will connect to the Mercury Main Transmission Substation, contributing to improved grid stability and enabling greater integration of renewable energy into the national system.
Located in a strategic corridor within the central grid, the facility is expected to strengthen transmission infrastructure in the Free State while supporting local economic development in the Moqhaka Local Municipality.
The development has been supported through collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders, including the Department of Electricity and Energy, the Independent Power Producer Office, the National Transmission Company South Africa and Eskom. Mulilo’s shareholders include Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Norfund.
Financing and advisory support has been provided by Standard Bank, Absa and Nedbank, alongside legal and technical advisors Bowmans, ENS, Fasken, ARUP and Pepper Tree Capital.
The project also includes participation from Reatile as Mulilo’s BEE partner, as well as a local community trust, supporting broader economic inclusion and long-term socio-economic benefits.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
For enquiries on the African continent, contact Kendall at SolaX Power South Africa:
- Email: kendall.xu@solaxpower.com
- SA phone number + 27 079 236 7565
- WhatsApp + 86 188 5626 6201
