AUG. 10, 2021

Energy Undersecretary inaugurates new “Río Escondido” solar plant which will provide 145 MW of clean energy to the national electric system

  • The new photovoltaic plant will produce enough energy to supply 194,000 homes, avoiding 185,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year.

  • According to Energy Undersecretary Francisco López, “the inauguration of Río Escondido contributes to the addition of more clean, renewable energies that are key to mitigating climate change and changing the way our country is developing.”

The “Río Escondido” solar plant was inaugurated in a live event, attended by key regional authorities and transmitted by streaming. The plant belongs to Mainstream Renewable Power and has an installed capacity of 145 MW, enough to supply 194,000 homes and avoid 185,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year. The plant is located in the municipality of Tierra Amarilla in the Atacama Region and contains 436,000 solar panels distributed over 430 hectares (1062.5 acres).

The incorporation of this project into the national grid confirms once again the favorable scenario for clean energies in the Atacama Region and the country. It represents progress in the so-called “sustainable economic recovery”, and its inauguration coincided with the report by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which stated, among other things, “that the use of coal and fossil fuels must be stopped before it destroys the planet.” 

“Yesterday we were alarmed by the IPCC report on the advances of climate change and its effects on the atmosphere, the planet and the ocean. Many of these effects are already irreversible, and the responsibility that humans have had in the process has been demonstrated. In order to mitigate this issue, we must rapidly decrease emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, and the energy sector plays a key role in this challenge,” pointed out Energy Undersecretary Francisco López.

“The inauguration of “Río Escondido” contributes to the addition of more clean, renewable energies that are key to mitigating climate change and changing the way our country is developing to a model characterized by sustainable development,” highlighted Undersecretary López.

The “Andes Renovables” platform, developed in Chile by Mainstream Renewable Power, consists of a total of seven wind and three solar projects. “Río Escondido” is the first of these projects to come into operation. As from 2022, this platform will supply more than 1.3 GW of clean energy to the National Electric System, equivalent to 20% of the energy consumed by the country’s regulated clients.

 The company also announced the construction in Chile of “Nazca Renovables,” a new energy platform of more than 1 GW. This platform will consist of six additional projects in addition to those developed in “Andes Renovables” – three photovoltaic and three wind power – which will supply more than 1.2 million homes with clean energy and avoid more than 1.1 million tons of CO2 emissions.