Mainstream Renewable Power said Monday it has started building the transmission lines to connect 630 MW of wind and solar projects that make up the second phase of its 1.3-GW Andes Renovables platform in Chile.
The Irish renewables developer has signed contracts with Siemens AG , Transelec SA, Inprolec SA and Isotron SA for the construction of 126.8 kilometres (78.8 miles) of power lines to link the new parks to the Chilean grid.
Mainstream said it has contracts in place with turbine suppliers, solar EPC and balance-of-plant contractors. The list includes Vestas Wind Systems A/S , Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy SA , Metka EGN, Sterling and Wilson, Sacyr SA and Elecnor SA.
The Andes Renovables second phase, named Huemul, is one of three that Mainstream plans to build in Chile in the coming years.
Huemul will see three wind and two solar photovoltaic (PV) farms built across the Chilean regions of Antofagasta, Atacama and Los Lagos. Mainstream expects to reach financial close for the five projects in the third quarter of 2020.
The first phase — the 570-MW Condor portfolio featuring three wind and one PV project — has been under construction for six months now.