WeeklySA_AdminRENEWABLE: About 800 presently employed and more than 10 000 jobs expected to be created in the next five years…
By Jabulane Khumalo
BETHAL – Seriti Green has invested R25 billion in a Wind Farm to strengthen the generation capacity for Eskom. Mpumalanga Premier, Mandla Ndlovu and Seriti Green CEO, Pieter Venn, visited the Ummbila Emoyeni renewable energy project construction site on Spetember 5 here in Bethal.
This porject is Seriti’s strategy to diversify beyond coal and support the country’s just energy transition to contribute to the country’s sustainable energy future, while maintaining Seriti’s coal operations until a long-term phase-out can be achieved.
Premier Ndlovu said this investment is a blessing to the province as this project will bring about more employment for local communities.
“I think CEO, you will always get our support because as government, we want to level the playing field for big role players like yourself to invest in the province. I hope that the people of Mpumalanga are going to Seriti Green invests R25 billlion in wind farm
“We are receiving this blessing with open arms and this is a start of a great relationship between our government and Seriti. The Just Energy Transition was not just, but we think that this project will also reposition the province to be the energy hub of the country,” said Premier Ndlovu.
The first phase of the 155 MW wind energy facility is expected to be completed by mid-July 2026. The entire project, which will ultimately generate 900 MW of power (750 MW from wind and 150 MW from solar), is scheduled to be fully operational by 2027.
This publication asked what does Just Transition mean for coal mining in general and will it complement coal mining?
“Last week we were with Minister Mantashe. There is another project not far away from here in Leandra. That project deals with carbon capture. So, we are happy because the main problem is pollution to our environment.
“If we have got this carbon capture project in Leandra on completion, plus this one, it means that it will extend the lifespan of coal mines here in Mpumalanga. We will continue to utilise coal here in the province because God deposited a lot of minerals here, including coal.”
The CEO Venn said Seriti’s vision is to build approximately three gigawatts of wind and solar renewables before 2030. The infrastructure will connect to the Eskom.
“So, we will be building this 25 000 000 900 megawatt project over the next 36 months. In the near vicinity, we have a further two gigawatts that we want to pursue over the next 36 to 48 months.
“Mpumalanga province will be the home of renewables construction for the next 10 to 15 years.
It’s very important that the support of the premier is there as we grow this industry, and that industry being the construction of renewable energy, so that we can meet the target of doubling the amount of generation the country has over the next 15 to 20 years, just to keep the lights on.
“So, yes, the carbon will be reduced as a percentage of the grid, and that’s not because of coal will be going away. It’s more that we need to provide for our population and for economic development as we grow.
“We have 372 people on site today, 72% of that is from the local communities. We expect over the next 12 months for that to grow in the region of 750 to 800 jobs. But I fully expect between five and 10 000 jobs in the renewable industry construction sector in Mpumalanga over the next five years,” said Venn.
Seriti is a broad-based, 92.76% blackowned and controlled South African mining company co-owned by four anchor shareholders: Masimong Group, Thebe Investments, Zungu Investments (Zico) and Community Investment Holdings (CIH).
Seriti Power operates six large-scale, opencast and underground thermal coal mines supplying coal to Eskom’s Kriel, Tutuka, Lethabo, Kendal and Duvha power stations, as well as some export markets.
They are currently developing the New Largo mine in stages to provide additional coal supplies to Seriti’s various coal markets.
On June 1, 2021, Seriti acquired the operations of SA Coal Holdings Proprietary Limited (SAEC) from South32, bringing into the fold the Khutala, Klipspruit, Middelburg and Wolvekrans Mines which provide coal to the Kendal and Duvha power stations, as well as export coal via the Richards Bay Coal Terminal. –Mpumalanga Mirror
