The clean electricity generated from the solar plant will be enough to power 125,000 Chilean homes per year
Image: Mainstream’s 123MW solar plant will generate enough energy to be supplied to 125,000 Chilean homes. Photo: Courtesy of Mainstream Renewable Power.
Mainstream Renewable Power (MRP) has secured environmental approval from Environmental Evaluation Service for the Atacama region, for its 123MW Valle Escondido PV solar project to be located in the Atacama region in Chile.
On this project, Mainstream Renewable Power is investing $150m (£120m) and the clean electricity generated from the solar plant will be enough to power 125,000 Chilean homes per year.
To be located in the commune of Tierra Amarilla, in the northern region of Atacama, the plant will be powered by 382,000 solar panels spread across on 360 hectares of land.
Mainstream Latam general manager Manuel Tagle said: “Obtaining environmental approval for Valle Escondido allows us to move forward with the construction of our 4,000MW portfolio of wind and solar projects, which, in turn, will support the country’s decarbonisation goals and help to diversify the national energy matrix with clean energy.”
The solar plant will be connected to the National Electric System (SEN) through a small section of the transmission line connecting the step-up substation at the 170MW Río Escondido, a neighbouring project, to the Cardones electric substation. The Río Escondido solar project is also part of Mainstream’s Chilean portfolio.
Mainstream Renewable Power signed a transmission line contract with Transelec in June
Last month, the company signed a contract with Transelec, the country’s transmission company, which will design and build the transmission line connecting the Río Escondido and the Valle Escondido projects to the National Electric System.
As per the contract, work on the 220kV transmission will begin later this year. The line which will transmit the energy generated from the two solar plants, will be 55.5km long and will be supported by nearly 180 towers or structures.
The Río Escondido solar project will be connected first to the national grid, followed by the Valle Escondido project, Mainstream Renewable Power added.
Furthermore, the company had also developed and built the Sarco Wind Farm, located in the Atacama region, which started supplying energy into the national matrix in March.