ContourGlobal to Expand Chile Hybrid Renewables Platform with New Solar-Plus-Storage Project
ContourGlobal announced the start of construction of Los Maitenes, a new hybrid solar-plus-storage investment in Chile for a facility combining 131 MWp of solar PV capacity with 90 MW/360 MWh of battery storage. When completed, the facility will push ContourGlobal’s Chilean renewables and storage portfolio to approximately 583 MWp of solar PV with 490 MW / 2.9 GWh of BESS capacity, representing more than 1 GW of clean power generation and storage assets in the country.
Alongside its operating plants in the Tarapacá (Víctor Jara) and Antofagasta (Quillagua I and II) regions, Los Maitenes will expand the company’s presence into the O'Higgins Region, closer to one of Chile’s main electricity demand centers. As Chile's power system faces periods of excess solar generation that cannot always be absorbed or transmitted by the grid, facilities such as Los Maitenes help mitigate curtailment risk. In addition to providing daytime solar generation, the plant’s battery storage system enables it to deliver firm energy during peak demand in non-solar hours. Its strategic location close to major electricity consumption centers also significantly reduces its exposure to transmission constraints.
The new facility is expected to generate around 220 GWh of clean electricity per year, and to be fully built by end of 2027. Its output is highly contracted through a single long-term PPA covering daytime and nighttime blocks, leveraging the flexibility provided by its four-hour battery storage system, while the remaining production will capture merchant market opportunities.
Antonio Cammisecra, ContourGlobal’s CEO, commented, “Our growth in Chile goes hand in hand with the transformation of the country’s power system, which is leading the way in combining renewable generation and energy storage to deliver reliable, dispatchable clean energy at scale. Los Maitenes is another milestone in ContourGlobal’s strategy to develop large-scale hybrid renewable platforms, and builds on our pioneering ‘Sun at Night’ business model, which enables solar energy generated during the day to be delivered during non-solar peak demand hours.”
“Los Maitenes marks an important milestone in ContourGlobal’s continued expansion in Chile. This project demonstrates our ability to understand the evolving needs of our customers and the market, and to translate them into world-class, bankable energy solutions. It also reflects our strong local presence and experience in the Chilean energy market”, added James Lee Stancampiano, General Manager LATAM at ContourGlobal.
The project is expected to employ a peak construction workforce of up to 400 people simultaneously on site during the delivery of the solar plant, the BESS facility, the electrical substation and associated works. Over the approximately 15-month construction period, as civil, mechanical, electrical and commissioning activities progress, an estimated 900 direct workers will contribute to the project. Including indirect jobs associated with transportation, local services, suppliers and subcontractors, the project's total employment impact is expected to exceed 1,300 people, according to preliminary estimates.
In parallel, ContourGlobal is carrying out a thorough community engagement process with key local stakeholders, providing timely updates on the start of specific works, coordinating activities that may generate impacts, and maintaining close communication throughout construction, while working closely with institutional stakeholders as well.
ContourGlobal | https://www.contourglobal.com/