MetroWind Turbines Arrive in Port Elizabeth

Port Elizabeth. Tuesday 11 June 2013 – Rubicept (Pty) Ltd, the developers of the Metrowind van Stadens Wind Farm, announce the arrival of the first shipload of Sinovel wind turbine components for the project, in Port of Ngqura near Port Elizabeth in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro.

Basil Read Matomo, subsidiary of the JSE-listed construction, mining, development and engineering group Basil Read; have confirmed that the turbines were transported on two ships from China. The first arrived on Thursday, 6 June and the second ship arrived yesterday Monday, 10 June 2013.

Marius von Wielligh, Director of Energy at Basil Read Matomo said: “The arrival of the first shipload of turbines is a significant milestone for the project. We have been working hard in preparation for this moment. Transporting the turbines to the wind farm site will be a challenging task, but I am confident that with our team of experts, we will excel at this task.”

The turbine components are currently being offloaded at the harbour and this is likely to last for a week. Thereafter the process of transporting them by road to the site will begin and erection of the turbines is expected to begin by August 2013.

Donald McGillivray, a Director of Africoast Engineers said: “Africoast is proud to be part of this exciting project and to be working together with such a dynamic team from Basil Read Energy. The Metrowind van Stadens Wind Farm is a strategic project of national significance that has numerous positive local benefits for the Metro, including amongst others, meeting nearly 50% of the Metro’s target to generate clean, sustainable renewable electricity as well as investing in, benefiting and uplifting the local community.”

The Metrowind Van Stadens wind farm is five months into construction and is generally ahead of schedule.  Civil works are nearing completion with all nine wind turbine bases complete. The main control building and individual turbine mini-substations are also currently under construction.

The advancement of roads and turbine platforms has been a priority in anticipation of the delivery of the wind turbines on site.  Electrical works on site have also begun and are ramping up to peak works within the next few weeks. The site has remained compliant with all environmental specifications and met targeted job creation goals for the project to date.  

Basil Read Matomo was awarded the R475 million EPC contract for the construction of the 27MW Metrowind Van Stadens wind farm project in the Eastern Cape. The turbine supply agreement was concluded in November 2012 and the scheduled commercial operation date is 1 February 2014.  The wind farm will feed 80 000MWh/ year of green electricity into the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Grid.