South Africa’s National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) has issued generation licences for four utility-scale solar PV schemes selected via Bid Window 7.3 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), unlocking more than 1 gigawatt of new solar capacity for construction.
The licensed portfolio includes three assets developed by local IPP Red Rocket SA and one facility by French energy major Engie:
- 278MW Sculptor Energy (Mpumalanga, Red Rocket SA)
- 277MW Springhaas Solar Facility I (Free State, Red Rocket SA)
- 206MW Springhaas Solar Facility VI (Free State, Red Rocket SA)
- 288MW Corona Energy (Free State, Engie)
Collectively, the four projects boast over 1,000MW of installed solar PV capacity and will supply 890MW of contracted power to South Africa’s national grid to ease persistent power shortages and load shedding.
NERSA opened public consultation after receiving all licence applications in January. A scheduled May public hearing was cancelled due to zero public objections or submissions. The regulator confirmed all four developments fully satisfied rigorous technical, financial, economic, legal and regulatory assessment criteria.
The latest licensing milestone expands the REIPPPP Bid Window 7 pipeline, which has undergone multiple capacity expansions since preferred bidders were unveiled in late 2024. To date, the seventh bidding round has awarded nearly 5GW of solar PV capacity nationwide.
Launched in 2011, REIPPPP serves as South Africa’s flagship framework to draw private capital into renewable generation and address structural grid constraints and electricity supply deficits.
