Thaba Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and Associated Infrastructure near Welkom, Free State Province

Thaba BESS (Pty) Ltd, is proposing the installation and establishment of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and associated infrastructure to accommodate the storage of energy. The associated infrastructure includes an on-site substation, roads, operation and maintenance buildings, fencing and other auxiliary infrastructure, that will ultimately connect the Thaba BESS to the Everest Substation. The capacity of the BESS will be up to 123 MW and is proposed to be bid as part of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) bid window 3 for the Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (BESIPPPP). The development is proposed on the Remainder of Portion 1 of Farm Barbiena No. 398, situated within the Matjhabeng Local Municipality, Lejweleputswa District Municipality. The town of Welkom is located approximately 19 km west of the proposed development.
The Thaba BESS will save and store excess energy during low demand and will provide energy into the national grid, via the Everest Substation during high demand periods.
The proposed Thaba BESS and Associated Infrastructure will include the following infrastructure:
• Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), of up to 123 MW required for the storage of excess energy / electricity (including containers, Power Conversion System (PCS), auxiliary transformers and backup generators, crane pads and mats, and a reference weather station), located within an approximately 10 ha area.
• Inverters and transformers to ultimately connect the Thaba BESS to the Everest Substation.
• On-site Facility Substation, located within an approximately 1 ha area.
• Switching Substation, located within an approximately 1 ha area.
• Internal, access, and perimeter roads to access the various project components.
• Supporting infrastructure is required in the form of auxiliary buildings (including basic services such as water and electricity). These include Operations & Maintenance (O&M) building, weather station, storage facility, offices, security control, and a laydown area.
• For health, safety and security reasons, the facility will be required to be fenced off from the surrounding farms, with a fence height of approximately 3,5 metres.
Connection to the existing Eskom Everest Substation will be via an OHPL which will be assessed and approved in a separate application process. The proposed Thaba BESS and Associated Infrastructure project is currently undergoing a registration process in terms of GNR 4557 of 27 March 2024.

Province(s): Free State