Vestas consolidates its market leading position in South Africa with a new 93 MW order

Cennergi orders 31 V112-3.0 MW for wind power plant at the Eastern Cape.

With reference to Vestas Wind Systems A/S company announcement No. 31 of 3 July 2013, Vestas is pleased to announce a firm and unconditional order from Cennergi, a joint venture between Exxaro and Tata Energy for the Tsitsikamma community wind farm in South Africa. The wind power plant consisting of 31 V112-3.0 MW wind turbines will be installed in Port Elizabeth at the Eastern Cape of South Africa. The first turbine delivery is planned for the second quarter of 2015 and the wind power plant is expected to be commissioned by the first quarter of 2016.

The contract includes supply, installation and commissioning of 31 V112-3.0 MW wind turbines, along with a VestasOnline® Business SCADA solution, full scope civil and electrical works as well as a 15-year full-scope service agreement (AOM 5000). The AOM 5000 service package offers customers assured performance, avoiding unforeseen operational costs.

“Cennergi is proud to have achieved financial close on our 93 MW Tsitsikamma Community Wind Farm. This is another significant step on the road to Cennergi achieving its goal of becoming the region’s leading independent power producer. It proves that Cennergi’s successful launch last year is underpinned by substantial projects and credible partners,” says Cennergi CEO Thomas Garner. “We are pleased to have formed a partnership with Vestas Southern Africa for the provision of EPC and O&M services on the wind farm project. The interactions to date have validated our decision and we look forward to an ongoing mutually beneficial relationship with Vestas.”

“The project contains strong local economic development obligations. Beside the supply of clean energy, it provides significant employment and skills development to the local community. In this regard, Vestas is taking its responsibilities very seriously. We are excited to contribute not only to long- term renewable energy generation in South Africa, but also to the sustainable development of the communities Vestas is working in,” states Hans Vestergaard, Senior Vice President Sales, Vestas Central Europe.

“After being awarded preferred supplier for several wind power projects in South Africa, today, we are very excited to announce another large order for South Africa and to construct our first wind power project together with Cennergi. As a pioneer in the development of the wind energy sector on this market, Vestas offers Cennergi 30 years of experience and leading technology wind turbines, making a clearly successful business case,” states Thomas Richterich, President of Vestas Central Europe.

Introducing the V112-3.0MW turbine to the South African market is yet another milestone in a string of firsts for the turbine. Since its introduction in August 2010, the V112-3.0 MW turbine has been well received by the market, resulting in a firm and unconditional order intake of more than 3 GW. Vestas has now expanded the 3 MW platform to include the V112-3.3 MW, the V117-3.3 MW and the V126-3.3 MW to cover the high, medium and low wind market segments.

About Vestas

Every single day, Vestas wind turbines deliver clean energy that supports the global fight against climate change. Wind power from Vestas’ more than 49,000 wind turbines currently reduces carbon emissions by over 60 million tons of CO₂every year, while at the same time building energy security and independence. Today, Vestas has installed turbines in 73 countries, providing jobs for around 17,000 passionate people at our service and project sites, research facilities, factories and offices all over the world. With 62 per cent more megawatts installed than our closest competitor and more than 56 GW of cumulative installed capacity worldwide, Vestas is the world leader in wind energy.

The headquarters of Vestas Central Europe is located in Hamburg, Germany. The business unit is responsible for the sales and marketing of wind power systems as well as for the installation and operation of wind power plants in Germany, Benelux, Austria, Russia, Eastern Europe and Southern and Eastern Africa.

We invite you to learn more about Vestas by visiting our website at vestas.com.