Construction of the first phase of Mainstream’s 1.3 GW Andes Renovables platform in Chile has reached 30% completion. The latest progress milestone comes just eight months after ground was formally broken on its Condor portfolio of projects, and keeps its one solar and three wind farms on course to begin supplying clean energy in 2021.
Mainstream's four Condor projects, three wind farms and one solar, will begin powering 680,000 Chilean homes from next year. The build-out, which has created nearly 1,200 jobs across three regions of the country.
The first of 18 wind turbine foundations was laid at the Alena site in the southern Biobío region, which – with continuing excavation works and the construction of the lifting substation – is already halfway to completion. In the north of the country, in the Antofagasta region, work to install 35 turbines at the Tchamma Wind Farm has now progressed to the 30% mark since the pouring of its concrete bases began on May 30. And at the nearby Cerro Tigre site, roads have been laid and groundwork preparations are continuing for its eventual 44 wind turbines.
Meanwhile, the build out at Río Escondido – its first solar PV plant in Chile – is advancing, with all its stanchions in place in the Atacama desert and more than 370,000 solar panels having now arrived in the country.
When the Condor projects enter operation in 2021, they will generate 571MW of clean energy.
