Teraco, a large interconnection hub and vendor-neutral data centre provider, has secured its first grid capacity allocation from Eskom
With this allocation, the company plans to construct a 120MW utility-scale solar PV energy facility in the Free State province. The power generated from this project will be wheeled across Eskom and municipal power networks to Teraco’s facilities across the country.
“This allocation is a significant step towards meeting our renewable energy ambitions and those of our clients,” said Jan Hnizdo, CEO at Teraco. “It is also only the first phase of our longer-term renewable energy commitment. We have been on a long journey over the last few years to obtain these approvals, and our aim now is to execute quickly on the opportunity.”
The solar PV plant is expected to produce more than 338,000MWh annually and has been seen as a significant step in the company’s plans to achieve 100% clean energy.
Hnizdo added, “In South Africa, we have various energy challenges, and this presents an incredible opportunity to meet our near-term renewable energy goals while adding additional power capacity to a generation-constrained grid. This will be a unique approach in Africa since Teraco will not only own its data centre facilities but also a significant renewable energy source with which to power them, creating a sustainable energy path to support growth. This initiative aligns with Teraco’s long-term vision of powering digital transformation across Africa. South Africa’s solar resource is a source of competitive advantage for data centres relative to other locations.”
Teraco has partnered with JUWI Renewable Energies South Africa and Subsolar to develop the 120MW solar PV plant, with JUWI appointed to design and manage the procurement, construction, and commissioning.
