Fotones de Chile has revealed plans to establish a 180MW project – the country's largest to date – consisting of six 30MW PV power plants in the town of Maria Elena in the Tocopilla province of Antofagasta. Work is scheduled to begin later this year, pending all necessary permissions. The project is entitled Planta Fotovoltaica Encuentro Solar, and sources have said that the planned project will cost in the region of US$400 million.
The plant will consist of close to 2.5 million PV modules and will be connected to Chile's northern SING power grid via a 515m, 220kV transmission line. Fotones de Chile is said to have intentionally targeted the region’s mining sector as purchasers of the energy generated by the plant. According to the news release, several mining companies have recently signed PPAs with renewable energy projects as the industry looks to reduce carbon emissions.
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