The first bid submissions for the South African Department of Energy’s independent power producer (IPP) procurement programme for renewable energy were due last Friday, 4 November.

According to Brent Williams, CEO of Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr business law firm, the IPP's bid to supply 3,725 MW from renewable sources in order to ensure the continued uninterrupted supply of electricity in South Africa is a major challenge for our country, with potentially dire economic implications should we fail to achieve sustainable supply.

“To put the nature of this programme into perspective, 3,725 MW constitutes roughly 10% of the country's current installed energy production capacity (from mostly brown sources). It is cutting edge in that it is the first major renewable energy initiative of this magnitude in our country,” Williams said.

Kieran Whyte, Director and National Practice Head, Projects and Infrastructure practice, said, “As responsible global citizens , it has become a necessity to diversify our electricity supply portfolio by moving towards renewable energy sources (namely - hydro, solar , wind , biomass and gas) and thereby contribute towards socio-economic growth opportunities.”

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr’s Projects & Infrastructure practice group advised on 17 projects, both for developers and lenders, that were submitted on the First Bid Submission Date ( 4 November 2011 ).

According to Whyte, “The firm is also mandated to advise a number of additional developers and lenders under the Second Bid Submission Date - with a deadline of 5 Match 2012 .

“The Preferred Bidders under the First Bid Submission Date should be announced on 25 November 2011,” he added.

For more information:
Kieran Whyte, Director and National Practice Head, Projects and Infrastructure, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr,
Tel: +27 (0)11 562 1132 or email: Kieran.whyte@dlacdh.com

Andrea Collocott, Head: Marketing, Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr,
Tel: +27 (0)11 562 1281 or email: andrea.collocott@dlacdh.com

Angela Graham, Tel: 073 505 9012 yeahwrite@worldonline.co.za

Notes:
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr is one of the largest commercial law firms in South Africa with some 115 directors/partners and 250 qualified lawyers located at offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr lawyers specialise in services covering the complete spectrum of business legal needs in 11 core areas of practice. The firm also has dedicated sector-led teams consisting of lawyers with experience in a wide range of industries and the public sector.

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr is the South African member firm of DLA Piper Group, an alliance of legal practices, which includes firms with offices around the globe that are affiliated to members of the DLA Piper Practice but are not themselves members of it.

Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr's Africa practice, in conjunction with DLA Piper Africa Group, is unrivalled in terms of pan-African legal services and geographical coverage.

DLA Piper is an international legal practice with over 3,500 lawyers located in 30 countries and 69 offices throughout Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the US.

For further information, please visit www.cliffedekkerhofmeyr.com