ACWA Power signs PPA with South African state for 442MW solar project

By Cameron Murray
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Project DAO will come online in Q2 2026. Image: ACWA Power

Saudi-based independent power producer (IPP) ACWA Power has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with government bodies in South Africa for a solar project 442MW solar PV project combined with a 1,200MWh battery energy storage system (BESS).

ACWA announced the signing on an implementation agreement and a PPA for its Project DAO on Monday (18 December). The project is scheduled to come online in the second quarter of 2026.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

The announcement said the project will have ‘150MW of dispatchable power’, which may indicate either the terms of the PPA or the power rating of the BESS.

The Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy of South Africa, Gwede Mantashe, signed the implementation agreement while Segomoco Scheppers, senior general manager at transmission system operator (TSO) Eskom, signed the PPA.

Project DAO was declared as one of the preferred bidders in the Risk Mitigation IPP Procurement Program (RMIPPPP) in 2021. Last week, the seventh bidding round of South Africa’s REIPPPP opened for interested parties.

South Africa’s Department for Mineral Resource and Energy (DMRE) formally opened the window on Thursday (14 December) with a request for proposal (RfP) seeking 1.8GW of solar PV capacity from independent power producers. The application process for the seventh round of the REIPPP is to remain open until 30 April 2024, however the last date for bidders to apply for a cost estimate letter has been set for 31 January 2024.

See the original version of the article on Energy-storage.news.

Read Next

August 14, 2026
Mainstream Renewable Power’s 50MW C&I Ilikwa PV Facility in South Africa’s Free State province has reached commercial operation.
August 13, 2026
Recurrent Energy has started commercial operations at its 150MW Carwarp Energy park in Victoria, Australia, backed by a power purchase agreement with tech giant Microsoft.
Premium
August 12, 2026
LevelTen’s latest report into European PPA prices includes figures on 'hybrid' PPAs, combining a renewable energy generation asset and a BESS.
Premium
August 10, 2026
Trinasolar's APAC leaders discuss how battery incentives, C&I demand, and DC-coupled storage are reshaping Australia's rooftop solar market.
August 6, 2026
US utility We Energies has begun construction on three renewable energy and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in Wisconsin, US.
August 6, 2026
Australian states can impose stricter renewables rules on data centres than the national minimum, but cannot weaken the federal floor.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 13, 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
November 3, 2026
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
November 24, 2026
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
February 2, 2027
London, UK
Solar Media Events
April 20, 2027
Istanbul, Türkiye