AES advancing Panama solar build-out

Environmental permitting has begun in Panama for a US$10.9mn solar project as part of AES’s diversification and growth strategy in the country.

Information from the environment ministry shows the company filed an EIS for the 9.9MW Corotú park in Boquerón district, Chiriquí province, that will use JA Solar panels and is due to take six months to build.

According to AES, photovoltaic development will help “manage asset generation risk, allowing more flexibility in the face of climatological events, such as El Niño, La Niña or any other type of incident, offsetting periods of drought with generation sources that don’t depend on water.”

The company, which is Panama’s largest electricity generator, already boasts solar capacity from the Caoba, Cedro, Mayorca and Pesé plants, each with 9.97MW.

AES’s solar project pipeline includes Los Santos Solar (7.56MW), Estí Solar 1 (9.9MW), Los Santos II and Santos III (9.96MW each), Estí solar 2 (6.64MW), Pedasí Solar (9.96MW), Guayacan Solar (10MW) and Veranera Solar (20MW).

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Meanwhile, state power transmission company Etesa launched bidding to shore up the 230kV Veladero and Llano Sánchez substations.

The work entails the supply, installation and startup of capacity reactors and interrupters.

Offers for the US$8mn, 575-day contract are due October 3, according to procurement information.

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