Mainstream Renewables Power (MRP) has completed installing the 71km 220kV transmission line for the 170MW Sarco Wind Farm, located in the Commune of Freirina in northern Chile.
Image: MRP connects Sarco wind farm to national grid in Chile. Photo: Courtesy of distel2610/Pixabay.
The company noted that the Sarco wind farm will now inject electricity into the National Electric System (SEN) in the coming months. The Sarco wind farm is owned by Aela Energía and was developed by Mainstream Renewables.
Power generated from the wind farm will be supplied to the Maitencillo substation from the newly completed transmission line. From the substation, it will later be transmitted into the National Electric System (SEN).
The Sarco wind farm is powered by 50 of Senvion’s 3.4MW turbines. Each of the turbines has a blade diameter of 114m, with a hub height of 93m.
Mainstream Chile construction manager Fabiano Fortes said: “We are delighted to have reached this important milestone, while upholding the highest safety and environmental standards.
“This was made possible thanks to solid team work and exceptional coordination with the numerous contractors that were involved in this process. The company is very proud of this achievement.”
Aela Energía is a joint venture company owned 60% by private equity investor Actis and 40% by MRP. The company secured contracts to build and operate the Sarco wind project from the National Energy Commission (NCE).
Located approximately 70km to the southeast of the city of Vallenar in the Atacama Region in northern Chile, the Sarco wind farm will supply enough clean electricity to power nearly 260,000 Chilean homes.
Last month, the Dublin-based renewable energy developer selected Senvion to supply 4.2MW turbines for the 84MW Alena wind farm project in Chile. The contract was the third between the two companies.
The three contracts signed were for a total of 424MW and the contract scope includes the delivery, installation and commissioning of the wind turbines.
The Alena wind project is part of the first of three phases for Mainstream’s fully-contracted 1.3GW wind and solar platform secured by the company in the Chilean energy auction in August 2016.