The project is divided into four packages across eight Eskom distribution sites. The packages are defined as follows:
- Package 1: Skaapvlei, 80MW/320 MWh, Koekenaap, Matzikama District Municipality, Vredendal, Western Cape
- Package 2B: Pongola, 40MW/160MWh, Pongola Municipality Local Municipality, KwaZulu Natal; and Elandskop, 8MW/32MWh, Msunduzi Local Municipality, KwaZulu Natal
- Package 3A: Paleisheuwel, 9.5MW/45MWh, Western Cape; and Graafwater, 5MW/30MWh, Western Cape
- Package 3B: Hex, 20MW/100MWh, Worcester, Western Cape
- Package 4A: Melkhout, 35MW/140MWh, Koega Local Municipality, Eastern Cape
- Package 4B: Rietfontein, 1.54MW/6.16MWh, 2.04MW solar PV, Dawid Kruiper Local Municipality, Northern Cape
All packages are EPC contracts and include five years of operations and maintenance.
The current status of the packages are:
- Close to Operational Acceptance (Commercial Operation):
Hex (P3b) was mechanically completed within time and budget, Operational Acceptance is expected in December 2023.
Pongola and Elandskop (P2b) achieved Mechanical Completion on 01 December 2023. The hot commissioning has commenced, and Operational Acceptance is expected in Q1 of 2024.
- Skaapvlei (P1)
- Graafwater and Paleisheuwel (P3a)
- Melkhout (P4a)
- Rietfontein (P4b)
The professional team from WSP is responsible for providing assurance on engineering design, construction supervision, and project management for the BESS project. It also supplies professional engineering services to review the deliverables provided by Eskom and other third parties to integrate and co-ordinate the overall engineering. WSP continually analyses the technical specifications, perform the technical evaluation of tenders, and provide professional assistance for the procurement of the packages identified for the project.
During the construction phase of the project, WSP is acting as the Owners Engineer on behalf of Eskom and monitors plant and equipment manufacturing as well as monitors and inspects the construction, installation and commissioning of the EPC contractors and their sub-contractors.
Furthermore, acting on behalf of Eskom as its Owners Engineer, WSP is authorised to communicate with the EPC contractors for clarification and seeking resolution of technical issues.
Instrumental guidance
“Our extensive international experience and successful history when it comes to BESS deployments and applications made WSP the logical partner for Eskom. As part of this, WSP assists Eskom in maintaining a complete set of project documents and drawings throughout the construction, start-up, testing, and initial operation of the project. We also review the project’s design, perform project management, and site management services on behalf of Eskom during the construction phase,” adds Dinesh Buldoo, Managing Director: Power, WSP in Africa.
Furthermore, WSP oversees the construction phase of the project, which includes all tasks from the design and engineering activities to the handover from the EPC contractors to Eskom. The purpose of this stage is to ensure that the EPC contractors provide a quality service as per the contract, within the stipulated budget and time frames.
Complete oversight
During the project, WSP witnesses the start-up, commissioning, and performance test procedures. It verifies the start-up, commissioning, performance, reliability, and dependable capacity testing of the facilities and provides comments to Eskom with respect to the EPC contractor’s performance, reliability, and plant dependable capacity tests.
