Kulani Energy preserves engineering, procurement and construction capability and positions a wholly Black women-owned firm at the forefront of South Africa’s grid expansion.
Thinga Nethanani, Chief Operating Officer of Kulani Energy.
has acquired critical assets from Optipower, which historically operated as a division of Murray & Roberts Limited (now in business rescue). The acquisition was concluded through Kulani Energy’s subsidiary, OptiProjects, which focuses on power transmission, distribution and renewable energy infrastructure.
Kulani Energy is a wholly Black women-owned engineering and energy infrastructure firm. The acquisition expands its engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) capacity to support South Africa’s grid expansion.
Concluded at the end of January 2026, the transaction was executed while Murray & Roberts Limited was in business rescue, preserving critical EPC capability that may otherwise have exited the market.
OptiProjects will deliver high-voltage transmission lines, substations, and renewable energy projects, including solar and wind. Prior to business rescue, Optipower was one of the EPC contractors approved on Eskom’s Panel A, supporting the utility’s planned 14,000-kilometre transmission rollout to 2030.
Kulani Energy has re-employed specialist technical resources, including project managers, construction managers and technical planners, safeguarding scarce skills in a sector that has experienced sustained contraction.
“South Africa’s grid expansion depends not only on capital investment, but on retaining experienced delivery teams with the ability to execute complex transmission projects,” said Thinga Nethanani, Chief Operating Officer of Kulani Energy.
“This acquisition augments important execution capability in a constrained market, and highlights the role that Kulani Energy can play in stabilising and scaling critical national infrastructure capacity.”
The acquisition was funded with support from Differential Capital, which recognised the strategic value Kulani Energy brings as an operator and integrator of complex infrastructure assets. The partnership addressed a structural financing gap in the construction sector, where limited access to funding often prevents local players from competing with multinationals and undertaking large-scale infrastructure projects
Vincent Anthonyrajah, CEO of Differential Capital.
“Our confidence was driven by the experience, track record and disciplined execution of the Kulani Energy team,” said Vincent Anthonyrajah, CEO of
Differential Capital. “Importantly, they identified and secured the key individuals required to stabilise and rebuild Optipower, positioning the business for sustainable delivery.”
Anthonyrajah said Kulani Energy had also presented a credible long-term business plan capable of generating attractive shareholder returns while strengthening an EPC sector that has historically delivered low returns on capital. “Kulani Energy was an ideal partner to rebuild Optipower, while building stronger, more competitive local infrastructure capability,” he said.
With the addition of OptiProjects’ EPC capability, Kulani Energy has since been contracted to participate in a 100MW solar photovoltaic project in Guinea, valued at approximately R2.9 billion, signalling growing regional demand for its delivery platform.
“OptiProjects will operate as part of Kulani Energy’s broader platform strategy spanning professional services, EPC delivery, operations and maintenance, and investments,” said Nethanani.
