Sumitomo to build wind power project in South Africa

The project will have a capacity of as much as 600 megawatts.

In the report, Keiichi Mihara, Sumitomo’s head of wind power said the South African government selected Sumitomo to set up and operate 40 turbines with capacity of 2.5 megawatts each. He said the project can be later expanded by as much as 500 megawatts

Bloomberg noted that South Africa plans to add as much as 41,000 megawatts before 2030 to mitigate blackouts and support growth in the economy. Of that, 9,000 megawatts, or 22 percent, will be through wind power, with Sumitomo being the first Japanese company to enter the business in the African nation, according to the trader.

Sumitomo will own 60% of the 20 billion-yen ($257 million) wind farm which is one of 3,725 megawatts of renewable projects that South Africa wants to be completed by 2014.

Read the full report here.