• Red Rocket closed financing for the 331 MWp Tournee Solar Park in Mpumalanga.
• The plant will supply 224,000 homes and avoid 709,200 tons of CO₂ yearly.
• Backed by Absa, Standard Bank, and DBSA, the project will start in 2027.

Independent power producer Red Rocket announced on September 30 that it has reached financial close for its Tournee Solar Park in Mpumalanga, South Africa. The plant, designed with 463,000 bifacial modules mounted on trackers and linked to the grid by a 132 kV line, will have an installed capacity of 331 MWp.

The facility is expected to generate 720 GWh per year, enough to power 224,000 households, while avoiding about 709,200 tons of CO₂ annually. Commercial operations are scheduled to begin in 2027. Financing was arranged through a club deal with Absa Bank, Standard Bank and the Development Bank of Southern Africa.

The project is backed by a 20-year power purchase agreement signed with Discovery Green, a subsidiary of Discovery Group. Red Rocket CEO Matteo Brambilla said the achievement reflects the company’s commitment, the confidence of its lenders, and the strong partnership with its offtaker.

Once completed, Tournee Solar Park will be the second-largest solar project in South Africa. It adds to Red Rocket’s growing portfolio, which already includes three projects awarded under Window 7 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). In a country where coal still dominates, such large-scale solar developments highlight both the government’s push to diversify its energy mix and the growing role of independent producers.