Southern Cone watch: Chile US$73mn solar-battery project, Argentina grid requests

A US$73mn solar PV-battery storage project was submitted for environmental evaluation in Chile.

The project – El Pitotoy – has nominal capacity of 9MWp and installed capacity of 30MWp.

Six sets of lithium batteries are included, along with a 17km, 13.8kV power line.

Project owner oEnergy is planning to build the plant in Atacama region. 

ALSO READ: Southern Cone power watch - Projects, climate bonds, grid work

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Argentina’s power regulator Enre issued a flurry of resolutions in the official gazette this week concerning requests for grid expansion work.

Transmission firms and power developers have called for certificates of public need and convenience in areas including transformer station and power line construction and expansion.

Enre also granted developer Luz de Tres Picos grid access for its 101MW Buenos Aires province wind project El Mataco II. Enre will issue a certificate of public need and convenience for two associated transformers.

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Elsewhere, Neuquén province development agency ADI-NQN sought grid access for 3MW solar farm El Alamito, the first plant of its kind built in the hydrocarbons jurisdiction.

Also, in another grid access request, company FieldFare Argentina sought authorization to boost by 5MW the capacity of its Salta province 80MW Cafayate solar park, which entered service in 2019.  

Meanwhile, the Ledesma thermoelectric plant in Jujuy province sought access for an additional 9MW of capacity. 

The resolutions have also been published by the federal energy department.