SolarAfrica Builds 114 MW SunCentral 2 Solar Plant

SolarAfrica Energy, a South Africa-based solar project developer, has secured about $94 million to finance SunCentral 2, a 114 MW solar power plant in the Northern Cape of the country.

The project, which will be commissioned in 2026, was funded by FirstRand Bank Limited, through Rand Merchant Bank and Investec Bank Limited, and is being implemented through its Corporate and Institutional Banking division.

SunCentral 2 represents the second fragment of Phase 1 of the SunCentral programme, which includes three separate 114 MW projects for a combined capacity of 342 MW. The project designed to supply electricity to South African businesses began in 2024 with the construction of SunCentral 1, while SunCentral 3 still remains under development.

In 2025, SolarAfrica secured an electricity trading licence from the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) through its subsidiary Energy Market SA, allowing the company to purchase and resell renewable electricity to corporate clients using Eskom’s transmission network.

This strategic shift is in line with broader trends in South Africa’s power market. Companies increasingly use wheeling to sign long-term contracts between generators and large industrial or commercial consumers.