Seriti Resource CEO Mike Teke, ESKOM CEO Dan Marokane and Peter Venn CEO of Seriti Green during the handover ceremony of Vunumoya Main Transmission Station at Bethal in Mpumalanga. Picture Credit: Supplied
By Staff Reporter
Bethal : On Wednesday Seriti Green, together with Eskom and its subsidiary, the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA), are proud to announce the formal handover of the Vunumoya Main Transmission Station (MTS) by Seriti Green to Eskom. This investment of more than R1 billion, delivered over 18 months, represents a major grid-enabling asset that will support one of South Africa’s largest renewable energy developments.
The handover confirms that the Vunumoya MTS is fully energised, operational and integrated into the national grid. It also enables the first 155MW of wind energy from Seriti Green’s Ummbila Emoyeni One Wind Energy Facility to be fed into the system ahead of schedule, marking the beginning of a 900MW programme that will progressively add further renewable capacity.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Seriti Group CEO Mike Teke said the milestone demonstrates what coordinated delivery can achieve for South Africa’s evolving energy landscape. “Today’s handover of the Vunumoya Main Transmission Station demonstrates what effective partnership can achieve. This is a meaningful milestone for South Africa’s energy transition and for Mpumalanga’s future as a renewable energy hub. Seriti is proud to be playing a role in building the infrastructure that supports a more secure and sustainable national energy system,” Teke said.
The Vunumoya MTS forms a central element of the broader Ummbila Emoyeni Renewable Energy Project, providing the critical infrastructure needed to feed renewable energy into the national transmission network. The station includes advanced 400kV and 132kV infrastructure, a 500MVA transformer, and additional capacity for future feeders and transformers.
Eskom Group Chief Executive Dan Marokane welcomed the handover, noting the importance of the project in strengthening grid capability to support South Africa’s clean energy trajectory. “This achievement is a clear demonstration of what collaboration and innovation can deliver. It accelerates South Africa’s energy transition and reinforces Eskom’s commitment to a sustainable future. Projects like Vunumoya are vital for modernising our grid and ensuring reliable, low-carbon power for generations to come,” Marokane said.
Originally scheduled for commissioning in March 2026, the project’s first phase has been accelerated and will now deliver energy into the grid from 28 November 2025. The power produced in this first phase will be wheeled to Seriti Resources as part of the mining group’s commitment to decarbonising its operations.
NTCSA CEO Monde Bala highlighted the role of the Vunumoya infrastructure in expanding grid capacity and enabling future renewable integration. “The Vunumoya project forms part of the commitment to enabling the efficient integration of renewable energy projects into the grid, strengthening grid reliability and supporting South Africa’s transition to a diversified, low-carbon energy mix,” he said. “I express sincere gratitude to our partners Seriti Green, the NTCSA teams and all stakeholders for the diligent execution of the project,” added Bala.
For Seriti Green, the handover concludes its delivery phase of the MTS, a strategic anchor for unlocking large-scale renewable supply from one of the most ambitious wind and solar projects under development in the country.
Seriti Green CEO Peter Venn said the energisation of the MTS marks the start of a multi-year renewable roll-out with long-term benefits for Mpumalanga and the national grid. “The successful energisation of the Vunumoya MTS and the first phase of Ummbila Emoyeni positions one of South Africa’s largest renewable projects for long-term impact. This milestone shows what coordinated effort can deliver and underscores Seriti Green’s commitment to developing clean energy at the scale required for South Africa’s Just Energy Transition,” Venn said.
Located in Mpumalanga, the Vunumoya MTS represents an important step in ensuring the region remains central to South Africa’s economic and energy future. By enabling new renewable energy to enter the grid, it supports national decarbonisation objectives and a more diversified, secure and modern power system.
Eskom is committed to enabling South Africa’s Just Energy Transition, which aims to reduce carbon emissions while ensuring energy security and socio-economic development.
The NTCSA remains committed to providing a robust and efficient transmission network, delivering system operator services, and facilitating dynamic energy market operations for the benefit of South Africa and designated electricity stakeholders
