GHG Emissions, Industrial, Solar  -  October 7, 2024

Northam Adds 80-MW Solar Power Plant

Northam Platinum Holdings Limited, a Johannesburg-based mining company, announced the successful finalization of a power purchase agreement (PPA) with an independent power producer (IPP) for an 80-MW solar power plant to service its Zondereinde operation. The operation is located near the town of Thabazimbi in the Limpopo province in South Africa.

This plant will deliver 220 GWh of energy annually directly into Zondereinde’s mining and smelting operations independent of the Eskom grid, reducing the operation’s carbon footprint by 22%. Other benefits include significant cost savings and reduced power supply risk. 

Construction has commenced with power expected to be available from December 2025.

The IPP comprises a consortium including the STANLIB Infrastructure Fund II, Royal Bafokeng Holdings Proprietary Limited and Energy Group. Project finance is being provided by Nedbank Limited (acting through its Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking Division) and The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited (acting through its Corporate and Investment Banking Division).

The project is part of a broader strategy to lower Northam’s environmental impact while securing the supply of bulk services. This includes a reduction in carbon intensity by 60% from a 2019 baseline by 2030, while  improving power availability and decreasing overall electricity costs.

Northam is at an advanced stage of progressing additional renewable energy projects in a dynamic and rapidly changing technological and legislative environment. This includes solar, wind and battery storage initiatives.

“Northam is committed to sustainably reducing the environmental impact of our operations, and this, our first major renewable energy project, represents a significant milestone,” Paul Dunne, Northam’s Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement. “The environmental, operating cost and energy security benefits implicit in this initiative add additional resilience to our world-class Zondereinde mine.”