The natural gas and helium producer Renergen has scored a significant legal victory in its dispute with Sola’s Springbok Solar Power Plant over development rights in the Free State.
On 9 April, Jacob Mbele, director-general of the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources ruled in favour of Renergen’s Tetra4 operations.
This will uphold the company’s appeal against a previous decision concerning land use rights.
The solar farm is situated outside of Virginia, which is also the home base of the gas producer Renergen.
Springbok Solar Project is a 195 MWp solar project that will add more than
435 000 MWh of clean energy to the South African grid.
Its dispute with Renergen dates back to 2024 when the gas producer expressed concerns regarding the ongoing construction of the Springbok Solar project in an area designated for future natural gas extraction.
Renergen explained that it is the holder of a valid onshore petroleum Production Right granted in 2012 under the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA).
