Zelestra Opens 300-MWp San Martin Solar Park, Peru’s Largest Yet

• Spanish firm Zelestra has energized the 300-MWp San Martin Solar Park—Peru’s largest PV plant—supplying power to 600 k homes and cutting 420 k t of CO₂ yearly.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony brimming with Andean music and regional cuisine marked the official launch of Zelestra’s 300-megawatt-peak San Martin Solar Park this week, cementing the Spanish developer’s position at the forefront of Latin America’s fast-growing clean-energy scene. Government ministers, local mayors and executives from grid operator COES gathered on the 520-hectare site outside Tarapoto to switch the array on and watch the first kilowatt-hours flow to Peru’s interconnected system.

According to Zelestra, the plant’s more than 560,000 bifacial modules will generate roughly 720 GWh of electricity each year—enough to meet the needs of about 600,000 Peruvian households. By replacing diesel-fired generation still prevalent in the region, San Martin is expected to abate close to 420,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually over its 35-year design life. Power will be evacuated through a new 220-kV substation and 18-kilometre transmission spur that feed directly into the national grid, reinforcing supply reliability in Peru’s northern jungle provinces.

Construction began in late 2023 after Zelestra secured a long-term power-purchase agreement with state utility Electro Perú. At peak build, the project employed more than 1,200 workers—80% of them hired locally—and prioritized Peruvian contractors for civil works, tracker installation and module cleaning systems. A purpose-built training centre established on site will continue to upskill technicians for ongoing operations and future PV developments in the region.

Chief executive Ana Beltrán said the USD 310 million investment underscores Zelestra’s conviction that “Peru can become a powerhouse in South American renewables.” She noted that the company is already advancing an adjacent 100-MW battery-energy-storage extension and scouting locations for two additional solar clusters in the arid coastal belt. “Our goal is to double Peru’s installed solar capacity by 2028,” Beltrán added during the ceremony.

Peru’s Ministry of Energy and Mines welcomed the milestone, highlighting that renewable sources now account for 10.7% of national generation—up from just 5% five years ago. With the San Martin park online, the government says it is comfortably on track to hit its 2030 target of 20% clean electricity while spurring rural electrification and green-hydrogen pilot projects nationwide.