Mainstream Renewable Power (MRP) has completed the installation of the first turbine at the 129MW Aurora wind farm in Chile.

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Image: MRP installs first turbine at Aurora wind farm in Chile. Photo courtesy of Andrew Purtell/FreeImages.com

The wind farm is located about 15 km from Llanquihue in the Los Lagos region in Southern Chile and it will include a total of 43 turbines.

The wind project is owned by Aela Energia. MRP is responsible for the development of the wind farm.

Turbines for the wind farm are being supplied from Senvion and each of it will have the capacity to generate 3MW. The turbines are 180 meters high and the nacelle weighs 57 tonnes. While the rotor is 122 meters in diameter, the towers of the wind farm are 119 meters in height and the blades are 61 meters in length.

To enable optimum energy production, the blades are claimed to have been manufactured from reinforced fibreglass.

Mainstream Renewable Power Chile construction manager Fabiano Fortes said: “Lifting the first turbine marks the beginning of a significant milestone for the wind farm. Given the dimensions and weight of each of the components that make up the wind turbines, transporting, unloading and assembling the turbines is a considerable challenge for us.”

When completed, the Aurora wind farm will be able to generate enough electricity to be supplied to about 195,000 Chilean homes.

In June, Mainstream Renewable Power announced the installation of first turbine at the 170MW Sarco wind farm in Chile.

The wind farm, which is owned by Aela Energía, will include 50 turbines, which are being supplied by Senvion. The turbines, which are 149m in height, will have a capacity of 3.4MW each.

In December last year, Mainstream Renewable Power secured $50m in mezzanine finance from funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management to partially fund its equity investment in the 170MW Sarco and 129MW Aurora wind farms.