AES Chile acquires Atacama Solar photovoltaic plant

January 9, 2025

• The 171 MW plant has been operational since 2021.
• n the same region, the company has submitted for environmental assessment the Solar Oriente and Llanos del Sol projects for a total of 1,500 MW.

In another demonstration of its ongoing effort to continue expanding its renewable portfolio in the North of the country, AES Pacífico Chile SpA acquired the Atacama solar plant.

The 171 MWp photovoltaic plant is located between the municipalities of Pica and Pozo Almonte, in the Tarapacá Region. It has 494,640 solar panels and 48 inverters, which are located in an area of 450 hectares.

Atacama Solar began its commercial operation in April 2021 and it is connected through a 46 km transmission line to the 220 kV Lagunas substation.

"The incorporation of Atacama Solar into AES's portfolio in Chile is our operational entry into the Tarapacá Region, where we additionally have two initiatives - Solar Oriente and Llanos del Sol - for a total of 1,500 MW, currently in the environmental assessing stage. This asset allows us to continue advancing in our transformational Greentegra strategy and to continue expanding our renewable portfolio," said Javier Dib, Market Business Leader of AES in Chile.

Dib added that AES will build an energy storage system with batteries that will allow energy to be injected during non-solar hours, adjacent to the photovoltaic plant. "Today we are the leaders in storage systems in Latin America and we will continue to advance in the development of this and other technologies to provide the energy solutions that Chile needs to continue growing," he said.

The new 100% renewable asset was acquired from global renewable energy producer, Sonnedix. Pan American Finance acted as exclusive financial advisor to Sonnedix for the transaction.

“This transaction aligns with Sonnedix’s global growth plans. It enables us to optimize and streamline our portfolio to maintain high performance and enhance efficiency, whilst maintaining a strong focus on project origination and conversion activities of highly contracted assets in the country”, commented Daniel Garrido, Sonnedix’s General Manager Chile and Regional Head of Growth Americas. 

“With a robust 1.5 GW development pipeline spanning solar PV, wind, and battery energy storage systems, Sonnedix continues to actively contribute to Chile’s energy transition,” he added.

About AES in Chile

AES's subsidiaries in Chile own and operate 3,885 MW, composed of 1,645 MW thermal, 771 MW hydroelectric, 431 MW wind, 667 MW photovoltaic solar, and 371 MW battery energy storage systems, in addition to seawater desalination plants and transmission lines.

They have initiatives under construction for 572 MW of renewable capacity, in addition to a contracted project portfolio of more than 1,620 MW in development, all with an investment of over US$2,000 million between 2024 and 2027.

During August and September 2024, three photovoltaic projects with battery storage systems - Solar Oriente, Altos del Sol, Llanos del Sol - entered environmental assessing process, with a total investment of US$3,000 million. These initiatives, which will be located in the Tarapacá and Antofagasta Regions, contemplate an installed capacity of more than 1,700 MW photovoltaic and 2,400 MW of battery-based storage systems.

About Sonnedix

Sonnedix is a global renewable energy producer with over a decade-long trajectory of sustainable growth. Sonnedix develops, builds, and operates renewable energy projects for the long-term, with a focus on providing green, affordable electricity to our customers, and acting as a true social citizen there where it operates.

Sonnedix currently has a total capacity of over 11GW, including a development pipeline of more than 6GW, across Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Spain, USA, and UK. The company continues to expand its global footprint across OECD countries, through acquisitions and development of renewable energy projects.

For more information, please visit www.sonnedix.com