Civil Engineering December 2022 | Vol 30 No 11

ON THE COVER T he Redstone CPS project has afforded Grinaker-LTA the op- portunity to gain a firm foothold in the growing local renewable energy space. The national importance of this pivotal renewable energy project was also under- scored by an official visit by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who recently toured the site. Abdool Shaikh, Managing Executive of Grinaker-LTA’s Civil Engineering divi- sion, clarifies that President Ramaphosa, together with the client and an entourage comprising various government members and local dignitaries, took part in a site visit to Redstone CSP power plant in October. “This was a real honour for all parties concerned in the construction of this landmark renewable energy project,” he enthuses. “President Ramaphosa took a keen interest in all facets of the project, paying close attention to the detailed full-scale model of the CSP power plant, before donning the requisite personal protective equipment (PPE) and inspecting the site. “As a tier-one, 100% black-owned construction company, Grinaker-LTA is pleased and proud to have been part of this event – and to have played a role in the construction of this ground-breaking renewable energy power plant,” he adds. PROJECT OVERVIEW The 100 MW Redstone CSP plant, which forms part of the REIPP Procurement Programme, is the first project-financed CSP with molten salt central receiver in the world, and also one of the largest investments in South Africa under the REIPP Procurement Programme. Following commissioning, commercial operation is scheduled to commence towards the end of 2023. With 12 hours of full-load energy storage, Redstone will be able to reliably deliver a stable electricity supply to more than 200 000 South African homes during peak demand periods, even well after the sun has set. GRINAKER-LTA’S ROLE As bid leader on the project, Chris Tshivhidzo, Grinaker-LTA’s Civil Engineering division General Manager, was responsible for overseeing operations on the project execution, while managing the construction schedule and the budget. Tshivhidzo clarifies that the company was awarded the civil permanent package C3 work by international investors. He explains: “ACWA Power, a leading Saudi developer, investor and operator of power generation plants, and Chinese engineering company SEPCOIII Electric Power Construction Limited managed the project – and they required a reputable contractor to execute the construction of the project’s critical structures.” Tshivhidzo adds that the experience of working with an international, diverse and multi-cultural client proved to be interesting and a worthwhile learning experience for the Grinaker-LTA team. The scope of work in the contract awarded to Grinaker-LTA’s Civil Engineering division consisted of con- structing the following critical structures in the thermal power plant: Q Q Steam generation structure Q Q Molten salt pumps structure Q Q Hot salt storage tank Q Q Cold salt storage tank Q Q Water treatment plant civils Q Q Fire protection water pump house civils Q Q Demineralised water storage tank Q Q Effluent collection area Q Q Retaining wall. A Grinaker-LTA civil engineering project well worth its salt First concentrated solar thermal power plant with molten salt central receiver Grinaker-LTA’s role in the Redstone Concentrated Solar Thermal (CSP) power plant project in the Northern Cape, which is the largest investment made to date in terms of the South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer (REIPP) Procurement Programme, consists of the construction of package C3 civils permanent works. 4 December 2022 Civil Engineering Arial view of hot and cold storage tank bases, steam generation structure, and molten salt pump towers by Grinaker-LTA, as well as CSP tower and EMS by other contractors