The Mooi Plaats solar photovoltaic project has begun commercial operation. The project supports 240 MW of green energy to South African platinum, diamond and iron-ore mines.

This achievement is described as marking another advancement in the growing portfolio of renewable assets in South Africa of Envusa Energy, a venture owned jointly by Anglo American and EDF power solutions.

Located in the sunny Northern Cape, the Mooi Plaats project is delivering clean renewable energy into South Africa’s national electricity grid in support of platinum group metals (PGM) mining company Valterra Platinum, diamond mining company De Beers, and iron-ore mining company Kumba Iron Ore, amid the broader transformation of this country’s energy landscape.

The project is the first of three to reach commercial operation this year, with two 140 MW projects on the way, Envusa and Anglo American South Africa chair Nolitha Fakude outlined in a release to Engineering News & Mining Weekly on March 18.

“Mooi Plaats is not only a source of low carbon power – it’s an enabler of new socio-economic opportunities and stronger national energy security,” Fakude explained.

Mooi Plaats benefits from excellent renewable energy resources and a strong Eskom grid connection and is the first project in the Envusa portfolio that will aggregate the energy from the Koruson 2 cluster. It will allocate energy on demand and utilise the portfolio wheeling concept developed and implemented in collaboration with South Africa’s State-owned electricity utility Eskom.

EDF CEO Tristan de Drouas pointed out that Mooi Plaats’ commercial commencement demonstrates the momentum that is building within the EDF-Anglo partnership.

“We’re deploying world-class renewable energy projects and aggregation capability that contributes directly to South Africa’s energy transition,” De Drouas stated.

Envusa is creating more than 1 300 project-related jobs and investing R20-million into local socio-economic development projects for the Inxuba Yethemba Middleburg community, which is also an ownership participant through the Winds of Change Community Trust.

Partnering Envusa is Pele Green Energy, whose CEO Gqi Raoleka emphasised the shared commitment of the partnership to South Africa and its developing communities. “Beyond delivering 240 MW of clean energy, this project demonstrates how the energy transition can strengthen energy security, support decarbonisation and create meaningful socio- economic impact for host communities,” Raoleka stated.

Anglo chief project and development officer Alison Atkinson spoke of each milestone of the Envusa rollout bringing South Africa closer to a cleaner and more inclusive energy system.

“The project contributes to early tariff relief, strengthens grid resilience, and supports the development of local economic opportunities,” Atkinson noted.

Emission Reduction

Mooi Plaats is expected to supply 15% of the electricity demand of Valterra and mitigate 500 000 t of carbon emissions a year.

With grid electricity currently accounting for 87% of Vaterra’s total emissions, the renewable supply would, Valterra reported in a separate release, would help to reduce the Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed company’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 30% by 2030.

As all Envusa Koruson 2 projects come online, Valterra would meet a third of its electricity needs by adding 480 MW of renewable energy to its operations.

Approximately 80% of electricity generated through the Koruson 2 programme is allocated to Valterra and savings from the programme are estimated at 10% below current tariffs in 2026.

Valterra mines, smelts and refines PGMs and associated co-products amid its integrated value chain supported by marketing hubs in London, Singapore and Shanghai.