The first 155-MW phase of the Ummbila Emoyeni wind farm, set to become South Africa's largest wind cluster, has entered commercial operation, Chinese turbine manufacturer Goldwind Science & Technology Co., Ltd. said on August 3.

Located in Mpumalanga province, the first phase was developed by Seriti Green, the renewables arm of coal mining group Seriti Resources, and is equipped with 25 of Goldwind's GWH182-6.2 MW turbines. It is expected to generate 480 GWh of electricity annually, enough for roughly 500,000 homes, with output contracted via a wheeling agreement with state utility Eskom to power Seriti's coal mining operations.

The launch was attended by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and China's Ambassador to South Africa Wu Peng.

The stage-one wind farm will form part of the Ummbila complex, which will house 750 MW wind, 150 MW solar and 800 MWh energy storage capacity. Construction of the site's second and third phases is ongoing, with full completion targeted in 2027. Phase four will be carried out under a newly signed cooperation agreement with Goldwind, the manufacturer said.