Statkraft has opened 172MW Cheves hydropower plant in Peru. This is the Norwegian firm's ninth power plant and consolidates its position as a leading power producer in the Latin American country with a renewable energy generation capacity of 2,500 GWh per year.
Located 130km north of the capitol Lima, on the Huaura river, the new hydropower plant with two aggregates has a total installed capacity of 172MW.
The facility will be capable of generating close to 840GWh of clean electricity annually based on the amount of water it receives from Andes.
The electricity generated at the plant will be sold on a long-term power purchase agreement with eight local distribution companies.
Statkraft international hydropower executive vice president Asbjørn Grundt said: "The opening of Cheves consolidates Statkraft’s position among the largest power producers in Peru.
"It also underlines our ambition to further strengthen our position as a leading international provider of pure energy. Our efforts in South-America play a very important role in this strategy."
The power plant is said to be the first greenfield project developed and constructed by Statkraft alone in South America.
Statkraft, together with the state-owned investment fund Norfund, owns and operates nine hydropower plants in Peru. These power plants have a combined capacity of of 443MW.
The company is investing in Peru as part of its strategy to develop, operate and maintain hydropower and wind power assets in South-America including Brazil, Chile and Peru.
Earlier in February this year, Statkraft agreed to acquire a 70.47% stake in the Chilean hydropower firm Empresa Eléctrica Pilmaiquén (Pilmaiquén).
The acquisition of Pilmaiquén is in line with Statkraft’s plans to expand its presence in international hydropower.
Image: The new hydropower plant with two aggregates has a total installed capacity of 172MW. Photo: courtesy of Statkraft.