Financial Journalist
Envusa Energy, a joint venture between Anglo American and EDF Power Solutions, has brought its Mooi Plaats solar PV project in the Northern Cape to commercial operation, supplying renewable electricity to Kumba Iron Ore, Valterra Platinum and De Beers under long‑term offtake agreements.
The plant adds 240MW of capacity to the grid and is the first operational project in a wider pipeline supporting Anglo American-linked operations. It forms part of the Koruson 2 programme, which is a 520MW portfolio of wind and solar projects.
Envusa has indicated that it plans to expand its portfolio to 3GW-5GW of wind, solar and battery storage across multiple sites, which will supply industrial users in sectors such as mining, steel and cement.
The commissioning of Mooi Plaats occurs amid a broader increase in renewable energy deployment by mining and industrial companies in South Africa. Several major miners and industrial players have developed or contracted large-scale renewable projects in recent years. Sibanye‑Stillwater has secured wind and solar capacity under wheeling agreements with independent power producers to supply its South African operations. Richards Bay Minerals, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto, has signed multiple renewable power purchase agreements (PPAs) to supply its operations, and Exxaro Resources has developed solar capacity feeding its Grootegeluk coal mine under long-term agreements.
Sasol and Air Liquide have entered into long-term agreements with independent power producer Sola Group for a hybrid solar and battery project to supply electricity to industrial operations. Glencore South Africa entered into a 20‑year renewable energy supply agreement with Discovery Green, which will provide renewable power to several of Glencore’s coal mining operations, including Goedgevonden, Tweefontein and iMpunzi, starting in 2027.
These developments highlight a broader trend in South Africa’s electricity market, with industrial users increasingly supplementing Eskom-supplied power with privately sourced renewable energy, either through direct generation, wheeling arrangements or long-term PPAs, even as the utility’s own generation performance stabilises.
Anglo American chief projects and development officer Alison Atkinson said the project contributes to early tariff relief and supports the development of local economic opportunities.
According to Envusa, the project has created more than 1,300 project-related jobs and invested R20m in local socio-economic development projects.
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