EDF Power Solutions commissions the 420 MW Koruson 1 Wind Cluster of its 1.5 GW portfolio.

Last week, Electron Intelligence released a TCO model showing that a standard 100-key Lagos hotel can cut 7-year energy costs by 49% ($3.17M to $1.61M), by moving from 24/7 diesel to integrated Solar PV + Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). Despite high upfront Solar + BESS Capex, the cumulative breakeven happens by Year 4 and Solar still wins under downside sensitivities (e.g., a 20% diesel price drop or higher solar equipment costs). We included the model for the analysis so our readers can stress the model inputs. You can access the link to the model in the article here: EI Model

In this week’s newsletter, EDF Power Solutions commissioned the Koruson 1 wind cluster on the border of South Africa’s Eastern and Northern Cape on Thursday, 26^th February. This project consists of three wind farms: San Kraal, Phezukomoya, and Coleskop. With a combined capacity of 420MW, the cluster now supplies enough electricity to power approximately 579,000 households annually.

The project was developed by a consortium including EDF, H1 Holdings, and Gibb-Crede. This partnership operates under a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Eskom, the South African national grid operator

Infrastructure and Technical Innovation

The Koruson 1 cluster features 78 wind turbines, each with a nominal capacity of 5.6MW. These turbines utilize Permanent Magnet Direct Drive (PMDD) technology combined with full-power-conversion synchronous generators. This specific technical choice ensures high efficiency and grid-support capability within South Africa’s complex grid environment.

Construction required significant civil engineering due to the site’s isolated, high-altitude location. The team built 110 km of access roads across rocky terrain to transport components from Coega harbour.

A central component of the project is the newly constructed Main Transmission Substation (MTS). This is the largest privately built substation in South Africa. It is designed to scale, with the capacity to connect up to 1.5GW of renewable energy to the national grid. This infrastructure will support the upcoming 520MW Koruson 2 project and future developments in the region.

Local Content and Industrial Impact

The project met strict local content criteria, with 40% of the total project value sourced within South Africa. A key example is the production of turbine towers. These 124 m high concrete towers were manufactured at a dedicated local factory near Middelburg.

The factory employed 400 workers during the construction phase, and the total site manpower peaked at over 4,600 workers. By manufacturing heavy components nearby, the consortium reduced logistics risks and stimulated the regional industrial base.

The Takeaway

The completion of Koruson 1 demonstrates that large-scale, high-altitude wind projects are technically and operationally viable in South Africa. The project proves that local manufacturing of specialized components, such as concrete turbine towers, can meet both global technical standards and national economic goals.

The construction of the 1.5GW Main Transmission Substation is a strategic move that de-bottlenecks future renewable integration. By building excess transmission capacity now, the consortium has created a “plug-and-play” environment for the next 1GW of energy projects.

Deals and Investment

Zambia Ministry of Energy Inks Deal for 118 MW Solar Plant in Sinazongwe MOE

Spiro raises $50 million to expand its battery-swapping network. Spiro

REA unlocks $74 million with Lotus Bank to fast-track clean energy deployment under the DARES project REA

Casava Launches Nigeria’s Clean Energy Insurance Products in Partnership with Rivy, Insuring Renewable Energy Investments for SMEs Casava

REA and ECOWAS Commission Sign MoU for Regional Off-Grid Electricity Project (ROGEAP) REA

Vantage Capital Leads a $39.4 Million (R635m) Investment in SolarAfrica Energy. Vantage Capital

Inspired Evolution announces exits of Evolution II fund stake in Solar Africa Energy. Inspired Evolution

Regulatory and Policy Updates

Eskom, NERSA, and the traders respondents have agreed to suspend legal proceedings to enable the development of the new trading rules. NOA

Eskom Faces Setback in Regulating Private Power Lines as Court Favors Sibanye-Stillwater. Eskom

Eskom Backs Lower Power Tariff for Glencore-Merafe Venture Eskom

The Radar

March 3-5 | EV forum and expo, Cape Town, South Africa EV forum

March 25-27 | Solar and Storage Live, Johannesburg, South Africa, Terapinn

April 22-23 | Invest in Africa Energy, Paris, France IAE