| Project Detail |
This Environmental and Social Review Summary (ESRS) is prepared by MIGA staff and disclosed prior to the date on which MIGA’s Board of Directors considers the proposed issuance of a Contract of Guarantee. Its purpose is to enhance the transparency of MIGA’s activities. This document should not be construed as presuming the outcome of the decision by MIGA’s Board of Directors. Board dates are estimates only.
Any documentation that is attached to this ESRS has been prepared by Okavango Biology Luxembourg SARL (the proposed Guarantee Holder, and authorization has been given for public release). MIGA has reviewed the attached documentation as provided by the applicant and considers it of adequate quality to be released to the public but does not endorse the content.
MIGA has been asked to provide a guarantee for a period of up to 15 years to cover equity investments by Okavango Biology Luxembourg SARL for the acquisition of Sonnedix Solar South Africa Holdings Pty Ltd (the Company). The Company owns 60% of Mulilo Sonnedix Prieska PV (RF) (Pty) Ltd (the Project Enterprise), who owns and operates an existing 75 MW solar power project (the Project).
The Project is located on 125-hectare site,?60 km?South West?of the town?Prieska, Northern Cape province, approximately 750 km northeast of Cape Town. The Project site is in Copperton, in the Siyathemba Local Municipality and Pixley Ka Seme District Municipality. The surrounding land use is primarily agricultural, however the Copperton mine is located approximately 5km from the Project. The Kronos Solar Plant Project is located approximately 2km to the east and shares the Kronos Substation with the Project. A wind power project is also located approximately 9 km to the northeast of the Project. Access to the site is via a graded dirt road which connects directly to a regional road. The Project came forward?under?round three of the South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer?Procurement?Program (REIPPPP) in 2013. The?Project started construction in April 2015 and reached COD?in?July 2016.?The Solar PV Power Plant consists of solar arrays, photovoltaic modules, solar module mounting structures comprised of galvanized steel and aluminum, and foundations. The main buildings on site comprise of offices, an operational and maintenance control center, a warehouse, ablution facilities, substations, waste storage and laydown areas, an electric fence and camera and guard houses with CCTV. An access road, internal gravel roads and stormwater channels have also been developed within the project footprint and are maintained by the Project. An O&M contractor has been appointed, the same firm who also served as the EPC contractor for the Project.
The Project is connected to the Eskom power grid through a dedicated 2.2 km 132 kV overhead transmission line and electrical infrastructure installed at the Kronos substation. Financing and construction of the transmission line, and electrical infrastructure was undertaken by the Project and ownership transferred at commissioning to Eskom which is currently responsible for operation and maintenance. The transmission line and transformers are considered Associated Facilities to the Project, as defined by the MIGA Performance Standards.
AE4?is?a fund run by the private equity firm Actis of the United Kingdom, a?MIGA?key?client?since 2013. In August 2019, it acquired?BioTherm?Energy (Pty) Ltd (BTE),?an African renewable energy development platform?which?is fully owned by Okavango South Africa Luxembourg?SARL, a holding company subsidiary of the Guarantee Holder.?As an operational Actis platform,?BTE?team is managing the equity investment to?the Company and will oversee the operations of the Project moving forward. |
