Klerksdorp Record, Klerksdorp - The city will soon boast a new power plant than can generate up to 99MW of electricity - enough to supply up to 65 000 homes with electricity.
The North West government has embarked on a joint venture with the City of Matlosana in a bid to address energy supply challenges. Provincial Economic Development Department officials handed over the Urban Blue International Gas-to-Power project to the city for implementation on Tuesday April 15.
The company will sell the electricity to the government and local communities, and after twenty years it will transfer ownership to the municipality.
Phase 1 of the project will cost R15 billion, which will produce 99MW of electricity. Some 300 hectares were set aside for the development.
“This project is aimed at addressing the energy crisis that we are having. As a commitment from the minister in addressing the challenge. But he has also called upon all of us to also play a role as municipalities from a point of self-generation. But also reducing the burden from the national grid. It is not only going to address that. It is an opportunity for the municipality to create a significant number of jobs. But also an opportunity for the municipality to plug in the SMMEs from the skills point of view,” the executive mayor, Fikile Mahlophe, said.
