Eastern Cape and Northern Cape Sign MOU for Renewable Energy Cluster

The Eastern Cape and Northern Cape provincial governments formalised a partnership on 10 September 2026 by signing a Memorandum of Understanding at the Phezukomoya Wind Energy Farm near Noupoort. This agreement establishes a framework for joint efforts in developing and managing renewable energy projects across provincial boundaries.

The MOU aims to facilitate long-term cooperation between the two provinces, focusing on sustainable development, economic growth, and the coordinated rollout of the Koruson renewable energy cluster. The signing event was attended by Director-General Justice Bekebeke of the Northern Cape Office of the Premier and Acting Director-General Mahlubandile Qwase from the Eastern Cape Office of the Premier, along with MECs and representatives from district and local municipalities.

Under the agreement, both provincial governments will collaborate on planning, implementing, monitoring, and reporting activities related to the Koruson projects. The MOU also covers stakeholder engagement, community development initiatives, and coordination of safety, security, and emergency response linked to the renewable energy sites.

The Koruson cluster consists of two main project groups: Koruson 1 and Koruson 2. Koruson 1, developed by EDF power solutions, includes three wind farms—Phezukomoya, San Kraal, and Coleskop—each with a capacity of 140 MW, reaching a total of 420 MW. Koruson 2, led by Envusa Energy, comprises the Mooi Plaats solar PV facility (240 MW), Hartebeesthoek wind farm (140 MW), and Umsobomvu wind farm (140 MW), totaling 520 MW.

What the numbers show

• The Koruson cluster has a combined capacity of 940 MW.
• Koruson 1 reached commercial operation in February 2026.
• Approximately 72% of Kolomela mine’s electricity is supplied by the Koruson cluster.

All six projects within the Koruson cluster began commercial operations in 2026. The Koruson 1 wind farms were awarded under Round 5 of South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme in 2021 and operate under a 20-year power-purchase agreement.

The Koruson 1 cluster also features the largest privately built main transmission substation in South Africa, designed to connect up to 1.5 GW of renewable energy to the national grid. This infrastructure is intended to support the integration of additional renewable energy projects in the future.

At Kumba Iron Ore’s Kolomela mine in the Northern Cape, the Koruson cluster supplies about 72% of the mine’s electricity needs. This demonstrates the operational impact of the renewable energy projects on local industry electricity consumption.

The signing of the MOU marks a formal step in aligning provincial efforts to manage and expand renewable energy capacity, with the Koruson cluster serving as a central component of this collaboration. The agreement sets out procedures for ongoing cooperation and oversight of the projects across both provinces.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.