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Mainstream Renewable Power has fully energised its 571MW Cóndor portfolio, the first phase of the company’s 1.35 GW Andes Renovables wind and solar power generation platform in Chile.
The milestone was marked by Francisco López, the country’s Under Secretary for Energy, who toured Mainstream’s Tchamma Wind Farm and met the local team.
This development means that the Cóndor portfolio has begun supplying energy to Chile’s National Electricity System, and has commenced the tests prior to the start of commercial operation in order to guarantee the optimal functioning of the asset.
Once the Cóndor portfolio reaches full generation, expected during the second half of 2021, it will supply more than 680,000 Chilean households with 100% renewable energy.
The portfolio comprises three wind farms and one solar farm in the regions of Antofagasta, Atacama and Biobío.
The Cóndor portfolio is the first of three that makes up Mainstream’s Andes Renovables platform in Chile, which covers seven wind and three solar PV generation assets, representing an investment of approximately $1.8 billion and an installed capacity of more than 1.35 GW of clean energy.
The second stage, Huemul (630 MW), reached financial close in September 2020, and the final stage, Copihue (148.5 MW), reached financial close on 30 June 2021.
In 2016, Mainstream was the biggest winner in Chile’s largest ever technology-neutral electricity auction, taking 27 percent of the total allocated capacity.
Chile’s National Energy Commission awarded Mainstream a 20-year index-linked, US dollar denominated contract, to supply 3,366 Gigawatt Hours of firm power each year starting in 2021.
Mainstream has also delivered an additional 332 MW of wind generation in Chile via the Aela Platform with its joint venture partner Actis.
Mainstream has an additional 3 GW of wind and solar PV generation assets under development in Chile.