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Riversdale is stepping into a new energy chapter, with Western Cape Premier Alan Winde announcing the inauguration of a solar power plant he says will make the town South Africa’s first energy-independent town, Cape {town} Etc reports.

Winde visited the Southern Cape town on Wednesday, 30 September, to officially inaugurate the project, which is designed to reduce Riversdale’s reliance on Eskom. He said the development could also help protect residents and municipal infrastructure from rising electricity costs.

The project has been years in the making. The Western Cape Government first announced the R210 million renewable-energy initiative in 2023, describing it as a way to reduce power cuts and eventually make Riversdale load-shedding-free.

Current Hessequa Municipality planning documents describe the development as a 10MWp solar photovoltaic plant paired with a 10MWh battery energy storage system.

That combination is significant for a town whose electricity demand continues to grow. Solar generation can supply power locally, while battery storage provides an additional way to manage electricity within the municipal network.

Winde also framed the project as an example of what can happen when government, a municipality and the private sector work together on energy challenges.

The next chapter will be about seeing how the new infrastructure performs in everyday life, from municipal services to electricity supplied to local residents and businesses.

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Picture: @alanwinde / X

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