Generadora Metropolitana inaugurates the largest photovoltaic park in Chile

This is an automated translation of the original release published in Spanish.

PRESS RELEASE from Generadora Metropolitana

July 8, 2024.- With the presence of national, regional and local authorities, Generadora Metropolitana, a company owned by AME and the French group EDF, inaugurated the CEME1 project, the largest photovoltaic park in Chile.

This park, located seven kilometers from María Elena in the Antofagasta Region, has 480 MW of installed capacity, more than 882,000 photovoltaic solar panels and will generate energy for more than 500,000 homes.

“Today we are proud to inaugurate the largest photovoltaic park in Chile, which will inject clean and efficient energy into the National Electric System. CEME1 is an ambitious and visionary project, since it not only stands out for its capacity, but also for its technology and efficiency,” said Diego Hollweck, general manager of Generadora Metropolitana.

Along these lines, the executive explained that CEME1 is distinguished by its innovative use of land, achieving greater power per hectare thanks to its fixed structure with modules facing east and west. This feature not only maximizes efficiency, but also represents a more sustainable and responsible use of space.

Regarding efficiency in water use, Hollweck explained that, thanks to the robotization of the panel cleaning processes, “we have managed to reduce water consumption by up to 90% compared to similar projects. This innovation is not only a technological advance, but also a commitment to the preservation of our natural resources.”

The Minister of Energy, Diego Pardow, highlighted that “in Chile we have been able to build State policies that provide certainty to investors so that this type of projects continues to materialize. The inauguration of the CEME1 photovoltaic project is one more step for our electrical system to stop depending on fossil fuels and move towards the decarbonization of our energy matrix.”

Meanwhile, the CEO of EDF Chile, Joan Leal, stated that “CEME1 is a milestone for Chile and the EDF Group, by consolidating a portfolio of projects that support the energy transition, in line with the country's global carbon neutrality objectives and of the company. This project represents an achievement not only for EDF, but for Generadora Metropolitana, whose team did a great job in terms of planning and execution.”

“With this project, Generadora Metropolitana has managed to consolidate itself as a relevant player in the Chilean market which, together with the diversification of its projects, will allow the company to face the challenges of the energy transition in a safe and sustainable way over time,” said AME president César Norton.

Generadora Metropolitana will soon begin installing more than 1.7GWh of batteries, which will allow the energy produced to be stored. This will increase the efficiency of the park, providing a more constant and reliable supply of renewable energy.

Generadora Metropolitana

Generadora Metropolitana, owned by the French firm EDF and Chilean firm AME, is one of the largest electricity generation companies in Chile. It has three generation plants located at strategic points of the National Electric System and two approved solar projects. Generadora Metropolitana provides energy solutions to improve people's quality of life, with a strong focus on environmental responsibility, safety, innovation, social commitment and its collaborators.