Enel's subsidiary Enel Green Power RSA started the construction of its 140-megawatt (MW) Oyster Bay wind farm in South Africa's Eastern Cape province, the Italian company announced on Monday.
The construction of Oyster Bay, which is Enel’s fourth wind project in the country, involves an investment of approximately €180 million, according to the statement.
The wind farm is expected to generate around 568 gigawatt-hours annually once fully operational, due in the second quarter of 2021, while avoiding the annual emission of around 590 thousand tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
'With the start of construction of the fourth wind project in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, we are continuing to contribute to the socio-economic development of the area through our zero-emission energy and initiatives to create shared value,' said the Head of Enel Green Power, Antonio Cammisecra.
'These initiatives include the innovative model implemented at the Oyster Bay construction site, as well as the sustainability activities focused on scientific and technical education in the area around the project,' he added.
The project has a 20-year power supply contract with the South African energy utility Eskom, as part of the government's tender for renewable energy, which awarded a total of five wind projects for 700 MW to the group in its fourth round in April 2015.
The company has committed to ensure job creation in the community surrounding Oyster Bay, while also prioritizing education by supplying schools with clean energy through mini-PV systems, awarding scholarships to local students and supporting school feeding programs in the local area.
By Gokce Kucuk
Anadolu Agency
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