The approval has been secured for the Llanos del Viento wind farm, which will located about 34km to the east of the city of Antofagasta
Image: Mainstream secures environmental approval for Chilean wind farm. Photo: Courtesy of Mainstream Renewable Power.
Irish renewable energy developer Mainstream Renewable Power has received Environmental Qualification Resolution (RCA) from the Antofagasta region’s Environmental Evaluation Service for its 222.6MW Llanos del Viento wind farm.
The wind farm will be located about 34km to the east of the city of Antofagasta, and will be connected to the National Electric System by the O’Higgins Electric Substation via a 220kV high voltage line.
Mainstream will invest £318m to built the wind farm
As per Mainstream, the wind farm will generate enough clean electricity which could be supplied to 168,000 homes annually. To be built at an estimated investment of $400m (£318m), the wind farm will be powered by 42 turbines.
Mainstream LATAM General Manager Manuel Tagle said: “This news represents a new milestone for the projects we are developing in Chile, positioning Mainstream as the largest renewable energy developer in the country that is contributing to the decarbonisation of the national energy matrix.”
This is the fifth wind farm for Mainstream in the Antofagasta region to have obtained RCA.
Earlier this month, the company also secured environmental approval for the 123MW Valle Escondido Solar Project which will be located in the Atacama region in Chile. To be built at a cost of $150m, the solar project will generate enough clean electricity to power 125,000 homes annually.
Previously, environmental approvals were received for the company’s Cerro Tigre, Tchamma and Ckani projects. In March, Mainstream also received environmental approval for its Pampa Tigre solar project.
The solar plant will be located in the commune of Tierra Amarilla, in the northern region of Atacama and it will be powered by 382,000 solar panels spread out on 360 hectares of land.
And in June, Mainstream also signed a contract with Transelec to design, build and deliver a transmission link to connect the 170MW Río Escondido and the Valle Escondido solar projects to the National Electric System.
Work on the 220kV transmission line, with a length of 55.5km, is expected to begin later this year. This line will include about 180 towers or support structures.