- With an installed capacity of 240MW (AC) and 283MW (DC), the plant is powered by over 400,000 bifacial solar panels mounted on single-axis trackers.
- Mooi Plaats is also the first project within the Envusa portfolio to reach commercial operation, with two additional 140MW projects expected to come online in 2026.
South Africa’s energy transition took a significant step forward with the official commissioning of the Mooi Plaats 240MW Solar PV Project, a development that not only adds substantial renewable capacity to the grid but also reflects a broader shift in how energy is produced, financed, and consumed across the country.
Located near Noupoort in the Northern Cape, the Mooi Plaats facility is now the largest single-site solar PV plant in South Africa. The project has commenced commercial operations, delivering clean and reliable electricity into the national grid at a time when energy security remains a pressing concern.
Developed by Envusa Energy—a joint venture between EDF Power Solutions South Africa and Anglo American—the project represents a growing trend of private sector-led energy solutions driven by industrial demand. With an installed capacity of 240MW (AC) and 283MW (DC), the plant is powered by over 400,000 bifacial solar panels mounted on single-axis trackers, optimising output in one of the country’s most solar-rich regions.
Beyond its scale, what sets Mooi Plaats apart is its corporate offtake model. The electricity generated is wheeled through the national grid to power operations for major mining companies, including Valterra Platinum, De Beers, and Kumba Iron Ore. This approach enables large industrial users to secure a more reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable power supply while reducing their dependence on an already-constrained grid.
The project is also advancing decarbonisation efforts. It is expected to offset more than 500,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually, directly supporting the Scope 2 emissions reduction targets of its offtakers.
However, the impact of Mooi Plaats goes beyond megawatts and emissions reductions. The development has created over 1,600 project-related jobs and includes a strong community dimension, with more than R20 million invested in socio-economic development initiatives in the Inxuba Yethemba Middelburg community. In addition, community ownership has been embedded through the Winds of Change Community Trust, ensuring longer-term local benefits.
Mooi Plaats is also the first project within the Envusa portfolio to reach commercial operation, with two additional 140MW projects expected to come online in 2026. It forms part of the wider Koruson 2 cluster, an ambitious pipeline targeting between 3GW and 5GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.
In many ways, the project demonstrates how the energy transition can align with energy security, industrial growth, and community development. It also highlights the increasing role of private capital and innovative market structures in driving large-scale energy projects across Africa.
As South Africa continues to navigate its energy challenges, Mooi Plaats presents a compelling model for the future, one where decentralised, market-driven solutions complement traditional systems. The broader question now is whether this approach will scale across the continent, or whether regulatory and grid constraints will shape the pace of adoption.