Roundup: US$400mn energy storage project, grid access request, Santa Cruz support

Storage project

A US$400 million standalone energy storage project was submitted for environmental review in Chile.

Planned by Argentina-based developer Eoliasur and branded Pueblo Hundido, the project involves building 405MW of battery storage capacity in Atacama region along with an associated 21km transmission line. Work is due to start in October 2026, according to documents filed with environmental review agency SEA.

Chile’s pipeline of standalone and hybrid energy storage projects is growing against a backdrop of daytime generation surplus, some transmission congestion and favorable evening spot prices.

Earlier this year Eoliasur submitted for review the US$608mn Tambillo standalone battery storage and power line initiative. Planned for Tarapacá region, the project involves up to 2,652MWh of capacity and a 14km power line. Construction is penciled in to start December 2026.

Grid connection

Argentine renewables player MSU Green Energy has sought grid access for 15MW solar PV project Ingeniero Juárez, in Formosa province.

The plant is in the construction phase and will connect, via 33kV line Ingeniero Juárez-Chiriguanos, to the network of supplementary transmission provider Refsa, according to a resolution in Argentina’s official gazette. 

MSU, which has 160MW of capacity online, is aiming to reach the 1GW capacity milestone in 2027.

Hydropower, coal mining-generation complex support

Santa Cruz province said it had succeeded in getting the federal government to assign 2025 budget funds to support the US$4.7 billion construction-phase Néstor Kirchner-Jorge Cepernic hydro project. Buenos Aires has earmarked 635bn pesos (US$660mn) for the government-led project as well as 108bn pesos in "financial assistance" for state coal mining and power generation firm YCRT, a company that is also at the center of a graft allegation.