The sun is shining on business in South Africa.

Renewable energy solutions provider SolarAfrica has secured ZAR1.5 billion to build the second of three 114 MW solar power plants at its utility-scale solar facility situated between Hanover and De Aar in the Northern Cape.

Together, SunCentral 1, 2 and 3 make up the first phase of the company’s bigger 1 GW SunCentral vision, one of South Africa’s largest solar projects designed for one-to-many bilateral wheeling, according to Africa Business Communities. SunCentral 1 reached financial close in 2024 and broke gound in June of that year. The funders for SunCentral2 are RMB and Investec Bank Limited.

‘More than a big solar project, SunCentral is a long-term infrastructure investment that gives companies the ability to manage their costs, cut emissions, and reduce their reliance on utility power that is often vulnerable to unpredictable tariff hikes,’ says SolarAfrica CEO David McDonald.

A portion of funding from each SunCentral plant is ringfenced for development of the project’s main transmission substation (MTS), which is engineered for up to 2 GW of green-power evacuation capacity.

17 February 2026
Image: Pexels