Construction of AES Chile’s Solar Plant is More than 65% Complete

- Andes Solar IIB will provide 180 MWp and will allow five hours of energy accumulation to inject 112 MW into the National Electrical System.

 AES Chile continues to make progress in the construction of its renewable projects, in line with its Greentegra transformational strategy.

In the Region of Antofagasta, 230 kilometers east of the regional capital, the construction of Andes Solar II-B photovoltaic plant is 66% complete. The 180 MWp generation capacity from the Maverick bifacial and modular panels will be added to the 102 MW already in operation at Andes Solar IIA and Andes Solar I.

The most outstanding progress of the project includes the completion of the assembly works in the main transformer and the electrical room. In addition, the foundations of the equipment in the solar power plant and substation are also progressing.

Innovation and Technology

This is the first solar power plant in the country with a 112 MW lithium battery-based energy storage system, the greatest of its kind in Latin America and developed by Fluence (joint venture between Siemens and AES). This device will accumulate enough solar power to meet the electricity needs of 370,000 Chilean households during 5 night-time hours.

In addition, 10 MW of the 180 MW will come from Maverick technology, which uses prefabricated modular solar panels and allows a three times faster deployment in half the area used by current photovoltaic projects.

“With a combination of energy and cutting-edge technologies, Andes Solar IIB will have the best innovations in the world to serve our country,” stated Ignacio Moyano, project manager of AES Chile.

He added that “the implementation of our Greentegra strategy has a major impact on the country’s sustainable reactivation. As a result, the construction of Andes Solar IIb will involve the hiring of 750 workers and the acquisition of services in the Region of Antofagasta.”

Construction of the project began late last year amid the pandemic. To ensure safety, peace of mind and trust of all who work on the project, the highest standards and strict health protocols are applied. Commercial operation is scheduled for the first six months of 2022.