Mainstream Renewable Power has signed a contract with Chilean transmission company Transelec for the design, construction and delivery of a grid link for former’s the 170MW Rio Escondido and the 123MW Valle Escondido solar projects.
Works will start on the 220kV transmission line later this year.
The link will be 55.5km in length with approximately 180 towers or structures that will support the line to transport energy from the solar farms to Transelec’s Cardones substation.
The transmission line will connect the Rio Escondido project to the national electric system and later will also provide access for the Valle Escondido project, Mainstream said.
Rio Escondido – which has obtained its Environmental Qualification Resolution – will be made up of 550,368 solar panels that will generate enough energy to meet the yearly demands of 158,000 homes.
Valle Escondido will be made up of 382,000 photovoltaic panels, generating the equivalent yearly energy consumption of 105,000 homes.
Mainstream Latam general manager Manuel Tagle said: “Rio Escondido is the first photovoltaic project that the company will build in Chile and the fourth NCRE project.”
The company has operations in Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe and said its current global portfolio includes over 10 GW of wind and solar projects in development, 4GW of which are located in Chile.