When first reported by Newcastillian News in July 2025, Councillor Bertie Meiring, who chairs the municipality’s Development and Planning Portfolio Committee, outlined an ambitious timeline and scope, noting that the project—led by Mulilo—would be the first of its kind in KwaZulu-Natal.
According to those initial projections, construction was expected to commence within six to seven months. The development would feature up to 37 turbines, each with a hub height of up to 140 metres and a rotor diameter of up to 200 metres, collectively generating up to 200 MW.
The facility would be located on privately owned farmland currently used for low-intensity livestock farming, with energy transmitted via underground cabling to on-site substations.
From there, a 132kV overhead line would connect to the Incandu Main Transmission Substation, feeding electricity into the national grid and, in theory, reducing pressure on supply and mitigating loadshedding risks.
However, eight months on, the project remains in a planning phase, with incremental progress rather than visible construction on the ground.
Documentation from the South African Heritage Resources Information System (SAHRIS) indicates that further technical and regulatory processes are still underway—specifically relating to the grid connection infrastructure required to make the facility operational.
According to SAHRIS filings, Mulilo Newcastle Wind Power (RF) (Pty) Ltd is advancing plans for a dedicated grid connection. This includes a 132kV on-site switching station and a single- or double-circuit 132kV overhead transmission line extending approximately 21 km to an existing substation near Newcastle.
While these elements are not the generation facility itself, they are critical to enabling the authorised wind energy project to deliver electricity into the grid.
Notably, the developer has applied to amend aspects of the already approved layout of the grid connection overhead line (OHL) and its associated corridors.
These amendments introduce additional environmental conditions linked to the original assessment granted in October 2024—an indication that the project’s compliance and design parameters are still being refined rather than finalised.
Moreover, the scope of the broader development appears to be expanding. Through the proposed amendments, a second phase is being contemplated, which would add a further 200 MW of capacity. Should this materialise, the combined output of the Newcastle wind farm cluster would rise to 400 MW—doubling the scale initially communicated.
In terms of its environmental and spatial context, the proposed grid connection infrastructure will be located outside the urban edge of Newcastle. Notably, the Mulilo Newcastle Wind Power Grid Connection overhead power line (OHPL) is set to traverse a Critical Biodiversity Area (CBA), as identified in the Ezemvelo KZN Critical Biodiversity Map (2016).
In addition, a short section of the on-site switching substation, along with part of the OHPL on the western alignment, falls within a 10 km radius of the Sneeuberg Protected Environment—introducing further environmental considerations into the planning process.
Furthermore, the development of a new access road will be required to reach the Mulilo Newcastle Wind Power Grid Connection OHP, which will also be situated outside the urban edge of Newcastle.
While the project’s physical footprint remains largely theoretical at this stage, its anticipated economic implications continue to be emphasised by municipal leadership.
Councillor Meiring stated, “Once the project comes to fruition, it will have a massive impact on Newcastle, with several spin-off opportunities. While it may not impact the resident’s utility bills, it will see job creations, especially with contractors and businesses that deal with this sector. Then there is the new roads to be built, which will also bring further opportunities.”
At the same time, he underscored what he regards as a key advantage of the initiative—namely, that it does not require direct municipal funding or long-term maintenance commitments.
As he explained, “This could assist both the Newcastle Municipality and Eskom in the long run with electricity stability and a better fiscal relationship.
While the Mulilo Newcastle Power project has yet to transition into full-scale construction, its steady progression through regulatory and planning stages reflects the realities of delivering large-scale energy infrastructure. The ongoing refinement of the grid connection, alongside proposed capacity expansion, indicates that the project is evolving rather than stagnating.
As such, the coming months will be critical in determining whether these planning milestones translate into visible on-site activity and, ultimately, implementation.
Should execution begin to align with the project’s revised scope, it may yet play a meaningful role in strengthening supply resilience while supporting longer-term economic activity in the area.
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know below.
Be sure to read:
