Acciona turns on 62MWp PV plant, hits 536MW renewables milestone in Chile

• Acciona has commissioned a 54.2MW / 62MWp PV plant in the Atacama desert, bringing its total renewables operating capacity in Chile to 536MW.

The Almeyda plant, which is capable of producing 167.5GWh annually, is the developer’s second PV project in the country after the 246MWp El Romero solar plant.

Almeyda is contracted to supply power to Chile’s state-owned copper mining company through a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA).

The start-up of the facility alongside a new 183MW wind farm has increased Acciona’s operating capacity by 84% in Chile, according to the firm.

José Ignacio Escobar, director general of energy for South America said that the company had invested “around US$600 million” over the last three years which will catapult installed capacity to 684MW by 2020.

Another PV project, the 64MWp Usya plant in the Antofagasta region, is expected to come online by mid-2020.

Acciona’s Chilean projects are contracted to corporates, including Google, LATAM Airlines and retailer Falabella, and backed by government auctions.

The news rounds off a buoyant year for the Madrid-headquartered firm, which tripled its solar portfolio in the first nine months of 2019.

Despite hefty action in Latin America and North Africa, the company’s solar portfolio remains minimal in its native Spain, with only 3MW in up-and-running capacity.