Major 720 MW Karoo Wind Farm Advances With 100-km Private Grid Connection

Major Renewable Energy Project Advances

South Africa’s energy landscape is set for a significant transformation as what sources indicate will be the country’s largest wind farm progresses toward construction. According to reports, the 720 MW Nuweveld Wind Farm in the Upper Karoo region is advancing through development phases with construction anticipated to begin by mid-2026.

Major Renewable Energy Project Advances
Project Specifications and Partnership
Grid Infrastructure Development
Technical Details and Timeline
Strategic Importance
Broader Industry Implications

Project Specifications and Partnership

The massive renewable energy project is reportedly being developed through a partnership between independent power producer Anthem, which holds a 70% stake, and renewables developer Red Cap with the remaining 30%. Analysts suggest this collaboration brings together significant expertise in both project development and power generation.

The facility has been structured as three separate 240 MW installations located approximately 65 kilometers north of Beaufort West and 30 kilometers south of Loxton. Reports confirm that all three facilities have been formally registered with the National Energy Regulator of South Africa, clearing a crucial regulatory hurdle.

Grid Infrastructure Development

What makes this project particularly noteworthy, according to industry observers, is the extensive private grid infrastructure being developed alongside the wind farm. The development includes a 100-kilometer self-build transmission line connecting to the national grid, a significant undertaking that sources say required reevaluation of the project’s initial phased approach.

Project developers reportedly determined that scaling up the entire project simultaneously was necessary to justify the substantial grid investment. Red Cap is said to have drawn on previous experience developing transmission infrastructure, having previously worked on a 116-kilometer transmission line for the Impofu Wind Farms in the Eastern Cape., according to related coverage

Technical Details and Timeline

The project will feature 105 wind turbines with nameplate capacity of 8 MW each, according to technical specifications. Turbine hub heights will range between 80 and 150 meters with blade lengths reaching up to 95 meters, making them among the largest installations in the region.

Project leaders reportedly indicate that the Nuweveld Wind Farm is currently progressing toward a grid-connection budget quote phase, with the National Transmission Company South Africa having already allocated grid capacity. Once the budget quote is secured around mid-2026, developers express confidence the project will advance to financial close.

Strategic Importance

The timing of this project’s development is seen as strategically important for South Africa’s energy transition. With several coal-fired power stations scheduled for decommissioning around 2030, the Nuweveld Wind Farm’s expected operational date in late 2028 positions it to help address potential supply gaps.

Market analysts suggest that the extended development timeframe for major power projects makes advancements like these crucial for maintaining energy security during the transition period. According to reports, development activity on the Nuweveld project began approximately seven years ago, highlighting the lengthy process involved in bringing large-scale renewable energy projects to fruition.

Broader Industry Implications

For Red Cap, this project reportedly marks a strategic transition from pure development activities to becoming an independent power producer with a retained equity stake. Industry watchers suggest this model could become more common as renewable energy markets mature in South Africa.

The project’s location across multiple landholdings—with the transmission line traversing 39 farms owned by 20 landowners and the wind farm itself occupying 12 farm portions involving 5 landowners—demonstrates the complex coordination required for infrastructure projects of this scale, according to development experts.