Gold producer DRDGold has decided to build a solar power plant and an energy storage facility in Ergo in an effort to reduce its carbon footprint and address uncertainty about electricity supply and costs.

The Johannesburg- and New York-listed company's board of directors has approved the first phase of capital expenditure, which includes upgrading the existing supply line at the Brakpan/Withok tailings storage facility to 88kVA, building an initial 20MW photovoltaic power plant, and 10 It is a 10MW energy storage facility.

This will be an important driver in the already far-reaching environmental, social and governance (ESG) space of DRDGold.