South African renewable energy developer Pele Green Energy, in partnership with ENGIE, has officially inaugurated the 75 MW Graspan Solar PV plant in the Northern Cape. While the project has been in commercial operation since early this year, this milestone marks its formal launch—bolstering South Africa’s electricity supply with clean, reliable solar power.
Graspan is part of South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) Bid Window Five.
The inauguration took place on 21 April 2026 and was attended by the Honourable Patrick McKlein, Mayor of Siyancuma Local Municipality, alongside government representatives, project partners, and local stakeholders.
“Graspan shows what happens when partnerships are anchored in shared purpose. We’re not just delivering sustainable power into the grid – we’re driving economic activity, creating pathways for growth, and making sure communities feel the benefits of the energy transition,” said Nicolas Lecomte, General Manager, Pele Green Energy.
Developed in partnership with local stakeholders, the Graspan project according to Pele also reflects the continued role of public-private collaboration in expanding generation capacity under the REIPPPP framework.
“Beyond the megawatts, impact means jobs, skills, and lasting value for local communities. For Pele Green Energy, this is moving from promise to performance – commercially sound and socially meaningful,” added Lecomte.
The project is also expected to deliver ongoing economic benefits, including local procurement, skills development, and long-term investment in host communities to support both energy security and socio-economic development.
ENGIE highlighted that the inauguration marks another step in its broader delivery pipeline that includes recently commissioned projects, new preferred bidder awards, and participation in South Africa’s evolving electricity market structures.
“Graspan is part of a wider portfolio that reflects our long-term commitment to South Africa. The focus now is not only on adding capacity, but on ensuring that projects are delivered, integrated, and operated in a way that supports reliability, growth, and system resilience over time,” said Sanjeev Mungroo, Managing Director: Renewables and Batteries at ENGIE South Africa.
