KAROO NEWS - The construction of the Koruson 1 cluster of three wind farms (Phezukomoya, San Kraal and Coleskop) outside Middelburg and Noupoort is well underway, with half of the required 237 turbine blades and other components having been delivered. Each blade on the turbines is 81.35m long and weighs 28 tonnes.
Components came all the way from Coega port via the R75 and N10 to the three sites.
“We would like to thank the public for their patience and safe driving with regard to the abnormal loads that are carrying the components from the harbour to site. There are several other projects under construction in the area, and we realise that traffic is being affected,” said project CEO Cedric Faye.
The scale of the Koruson 1 project is massive with the three sites spread across 50km². There are 78 wind turbines which will be installed on concrete towers, now being assembled and erected across the three sites. The 124m-high concrete towers each comprises 50 keystones, all manufactured locally at a factory outside Middelburg.
Developed by EDF Renewables in partnership with H1 Holdings, GIBB-Crede and a local community trust, each wind farm has a capacity of 140MW, with a total installed capacity of 420MW. This makes the cluster the biggest wind farm ever built in Africa, The total investment in the project is R11bn.
In addition to the three windfarms, a main transmission station and three substations are under construction to transmit the generated power to Eskom. The construction works are all nearing completion, and the commercial operations date (COD) is planned for the first quarter of 2025.
The project, which is part of round 5 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme, will contribute to reducing the energy deficit in South Africa.
About 3 800 workers are currently on site. The project has created significant employment opportunities, and the services of local resources and businesses are used wherever possible. More than 40% of the project's value comprises South African goods and services, and 1.25% of revenue generated by the projects over their contractual period will be applied to socio-economic development initiatives for nearby local communities.
Wind farm components (Hubs, nacelles and generators) are currently scheduled for two deliveries per week. The turbine blade trailers will also begin deliveries again in the week starting 15 July.
Deliveries always leave Coega Port on a Monday and a Wednesday, and the travelling time to site is two days. This will continue through July and August.
The route is from Coega Port on the R75 and N10 to the three Koruson 1 wind farm sites.
The route to be followed for the blade transportation is from Coega Port on the N10, over the Olifantskop Pass, with a stop at Cookhouse for the night.
The following day the transport continues through Cradock, past Middelburg, then to the sites.
Other components will be transported on the R75 past Motherwell, and Kariega (Uitenhage), stopping at Jansenville, then travelling through Graaff-Reinet, and past Middelburg on the N10 to site.
Construction at the Koruson 1 cluster, one of three wind farms.
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