South Africa: Work begins on Kathu CSP facility

France’s Engie announced on 10 May that work will begin shortly at the 100MW concentrated solar power (CSP) plant in the Northern Cape, after a 20-year power purchase agreement was signed with Eskom. The plant is expected to begin operating in H2 2018. Kathu, which was selected as a preferred bidder in the CSP-specific third-round additional allocation of the renewable energy independent power producer procurement (REIPPP) programme, will use parabolic trough technology and a molten salt storage system providing 4.5 hours of storage capacity.