Energy Exchange of Southern Africa (EXSA), one of South Africa’s first licensed energy traders, has reached Commercial Operation Date (COD) on 25MW of the Ilikwa PV Facility, developed by Mainstream Renewable Power near Parys in the Free State.
The milestone marks the start of commercial electricity supply from the 50MW solar facility, which is jointly owned by Mainstream Renewable Power (70%) and Investec (30%). Under a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Mainstream, EXSA procures all electrons generated by its 25MW allocation, a 50% share of the plant, and wheels this directly to its commercial and industrial customers.
The Ilikwa allocation adds a third solar generation site to EXSA’s portfolio and brings valuable geographic diversity, complementing its two existing solar plants in the Western Cape.
“Reaching COD on this offtake with Mainstream is a strong signal of how quickly South Africa’s private electricity market is maturing. It gives our commercial and industrial customers direct access to reliable, competitively priced solar power, while supporting the country’s broader shift toward a more flexible and secure energy system,” says Wayne Cowie, CEO of EXSA.
EXSA’s 25MW allocation is expected to generate in excess of 70 GWh of clean energy annually, helping its customers secure reliable and competitively priced power while supporting South Africa’s broader decarbonisation goals. The full Ilikwa PV Facility will generate more than 140 GWh of renewable electricity annually from over 101 000 PV modules, avoiding approximately 100 000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year.
Construction on the facility began in October 2024 and was completed over 21 months, creating employment for over 2 600 people at its peak, most of them recruited from the neighbouring communities of Tumahole, Schonkenville and Vredefort. The project also prioritised local procurement and enterprise development throughout construction.
“This offtake reflects the growing appetite among South African businesses for flexible, shorter-term supply agreements that give them cost certainty without long-term lock-in. It’s a model we expect to see more of as the private electricity market matures,” adds Retief Ferreira, Chief Commercial Officer at EXSA.
“Bringing 50MW of solar power online at Ilikwa, with 25MW dedicated to EXSA, is an exciting achievement for everyone involved. This milestone reflects our shared vision for sustainable growth and energy security in South Africa. We value EXSA’s partnership and look forward to delivering long-term, clean power to their operations,” says Hein Reyneke, General Manager at Mainstream South Africa.
EXSA is a market-leading supplier of grid-connected renewable energy, buying renewable energy in bulk under long-term contracts with Independent Power Producers (IPPs), or generators, for resale.
For more information about EXSA, visit www.exsa.io.