Johannesburg - Fifty-three bids have been received from
independent electricity producers for the construction of renewable energy
sources, an official said on Monday.
"There has been significant interest from international
investors," Energy deputy director general Ompi Aphane told reporters in
Pretoria.
"The bidders are, however, required to comply with
different thresholds for BBE (broad-based economic) ownership, job-creation,
preferential procurement and socioeconomic development."
The 53 bids were worth a total of R70bn and represented 2
100 megawatts of electricity - 50% from wind, 48% from solar and 2% from hydro
sources. Officials would not elaborate on the bidders' details.
Aphane said that given the South African environment, it had
been expected that wind and solar proposals would dominate.
The outcome of the evaluation process will be announced
later this month or early next month at the COP17 summit in Durban.
He said the bids are being evaluated by legal, financial,
technical and economic development teams.
"Each and every aspect of each bid is receiving special
attention. The scoring is divided into 70% price and 30% economic
development."
Director general Nelisiwe Magubane said the department had
requested exemption from the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act to
maximise local content in the proposals.
She said all the companies bidding needed 40% South African
participation and a minimum of level five, in terms of BBBEE policy.
"These are our strides as a country to incubate the
utilisation of renewable energy in the region. We have opportunities to harness
clean, renewable power moving forward."
Magubane said that apart from bringing direct foreign
investment, the plan would stimulate local manufacturing and boost job-creation
across sectors like construction and engineering.
The department has adopted an integrated resource plan with
a 42% target for electricity generation from renewable sources.
On Saturday, President Jacob Zuma witnessed the signing of a
memorandum of understanding aimed at starting the development of large-scale
power generation in sub-Saharan Africa.
The memorandum, signed in Kinshasa in the Democratic
Republic of Congo, had a particular focus on hydropower resources.