The Alba project is a groundbreaking venture aiming to transform the Angamos power plant located in Mejillones as part of the energy transition journey.
AES Andes obtains unanimous environmental approval for the coal-fired thermoelectric plant conversion project.
November 29, 2023
Alba, the AES Andes project that would completely phase out the use of coal by converting the Angamos power plant located in Mejillones into a large-scale storage and renewable energy generation system using solar salts, received unanimous approval from the Antofagasta Environmental Evaluation Commission.
The project plans to use solar salts, which would be heated with electricity from renewable sources. The salts would be stored for future use in power generation, achieving a capacity of 560 MW when both units are operational.
This marks the first global initiative to use solar salts for the reconversion of a coal-fired power plant, completely devoid of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Javier Dib, the CEO of AES Andes, stated: “We are very pleased with the environmental approval of Alba. It is a significant step towards incorporating new storage development options into our portfolio and continuing our transformation.”
It’s worth mentioning that Alba plans to use a significant portion of the existing infrastructure and the same power line as Angamos Plant, thus not requiring major modifications to the current facilities.
Following the environmental approval, the Company will assess the subsequent steps necessary to further consolidate its Greentegra transformation strategy and progress in the renewable reconversion of its portfolio.
About AES Andes
AES Andes generates and sells electricity in Chile, Colombia and Argentina. The Company operates 5,636 MW in South America has a broad renewable energy project pipeline under development. The Company is one of the leading generators in the region with a diversified portfolio that includes hydro, wind, solar, energy storage, biomass, natural gas and coal plants.
In Chile, AES Andes and its subsidiaries own and operate 3,864 MW generation capacity, including 2,129 MW of thermal, 771 MW of hydroelectric, 348 MW of wind, 429 MW of solar, 13 MW of biomass, and 174 MW of battery-based energy storage systems, as well as seawater desalination plants, and transmission lines.