July 24, 2026 [Storage Terminals Magazine]- TotalEnergies, in partnership with Hydra Storage Holding and Reatile Renewables, has inaugurated the Hydra project, described as Africa’s largest hybrid renewable energy facility. Located in South Africa’s Northern Cape province, the project combines a 216 MW solar photovoltaic plant with a 500 MWh battery energy storage system.

The facility represents a major contribution to South Africa’s Just Energy Transition programme, supporting the country’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions through the increased deployment of renewable energy.

Under a 20-year power purchase agreement with Eskom, the project will supply 75 MW of dispatchable renewable electricity to the national grid between 5:00 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. each day. The facility is expected to deliver more than 400 GWh of electricity annually, equivalent to the consumption of approximately 200,000 South African households.

Magali Pailhé, managing director of TotalEnergies Southern Africa, said the project strengthens South Africa’s energy security while supporting the decarbonisation of the country’s electricity sector.

The Hydra project has been developed by a consortium comprising TotalEnergies (35 percent), Hydra Storage Holding (35 percent) and Reatile Renewables (30 percent). It forms part of South Africa’s Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme, launched by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy to enhance electricity supply reliability and accelerate the transition towards cleaner energy sources.