Overview
- The Ummbila Emoyeni wind facility entered commercial operation after its official launch on Friday, July 31, 2026, delivering 155 megawatts of capacity as the province’s first utility-scale wind farm.
- Developed by Seriti Green at an estimated cost of about R10 billion, the first phase is described by the company as the opening tranche of a planned 900 MW renewable programme that will add wind, solar and battery storage.
- The project generated more than 1,000 construction jobs and drew roughly 18,500 registrations to Seriti Green’s Skills Hub, with about half of construction posts filled by residents within 10 km of the site.
- President Cyril Ramaphosa used the launch to frame the farm as proof the Just Energy Transition is moving from policy to action and announced initial work completed on creating an independent Transmission System Operator to open the market to more generators.
- Developers and provincial officials say detailed wind studies show Bethal has stronger wind resources than some coastal areas, and Seriti’s leaders say the company will keep investing in both coal and renewables as the region shifts to a more mixed energy mix.