Guanchoi, Chile's largest solar plant, begins commercial operation

Published on Tuesday, 18 July 2023

Guanchoi, la planta solar más grande de Chile
  • Enel Green Power Chile's photovoltaic park is in the Atacama Region and has a net capacity of 398 MW.
  • Guanchoi will generate more than 1,100 GWh annually to power more than one million Chilean homes, avoiding the emission of around 900,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.

 

Copiapó, July 18, 2023. – Enel Chile, through its renewable energy development subsidiary Enel Green Power Chile, received official authorization from the National Electricity Coordinator to begin commercial operation of its Guanchoi photovoltaic plant, which, with a net installed capacity of 398 MW, and after successfully passing all performance and safety tests ensuring its correct operation, became the country's largest active solar plant.

This new plant is Enel's third largest solar plant worldwide, and thanks to its large size and net installed power, is expected to produce more than 1,100 GWh annually, 100% clean energy injected into the National Electricity System, which will power more than one million Chilean homes, while avoiding the emission of around 900,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.

Guanchoi's construction included the installation of 893,508 solar panels with state-of-the-art bifacial monocrystalline photovoltaic technology, allowing for greater efficiency in capturing solar radiation, generating an average of 14% more electricity than conventional panels.

During its construction peak, the project had a workforce of more than 1,200 people, most local from the Atacama region. In addition, this plant's development considered implementing innovative systems and modern technology for such projects, such as incorporating wireless trackers to simplify operational maintenance: string inverters that provide greater efficiency for energy conversion processes and reduce the unit's maintenance costs.

Enel Green Power Chile is a subsidiary of Enel Chile, a leader in the country's renewable energy market, with a diversified portfolio that, as of March 31, 2023, comprises wind (715 MW), solar (2,043 MW), hydroelectric (92 MW) and geothermal (83 MW), totaling a net installed capacity of 2,933 MW.