Solar Antofagasta Submits 516.92 MWp PV and Storage Project for Environmental Assessment in Chile

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Solar Antofagasta has submitted the Environmental Impact Declaration (DIA) for the Antofagasta 1 photovoltaic plant project to Chile's Environmental Assessment System (SEIA), with the project's parent company group being Grenergy Renovables. The plant has an installed capacity of 516.92 MWp, a rated output of 430 MW, and is equipped with a 430 MW battery energy storage system with a storage capacity of approximately 3,010 MWh, supporting roughly 7 hours of discharge at rated power.

The project is located in the municipality of María Elena, Tocopilla Province, Antofagasta Region, covering a total area of 834.58 hectares, of which 402.37 hectares are used for permanent and temporary works, with no facilities installed on the remaining land. The plant comprises 820,512 modules with a unit power of 630 Wp, and the electricity generated can be stored in the battery energy storage system (BESS) for injection into the National Electric System (SEN) during peak demand periods.

For power evacuation, a new 33/220 kV Salitre step-up substation will be built, along with a 20.7-kilometer high-voltage transmission line. A total of 59 structures will be installed along the route, including two line frames and 57 lattice steel towers. The line will ultimately connect to the existing Kimal 220 kV substation owned by a third party, linking to the National Electric System (SEN).

The investment amounts are itemized in the document: approximately $250 million for the photovoltaic plant (including transmission line and substation) and approximately $270 million for the battery energy storage system (BESS), totaling approximately $520 million. This differs from the $593 million previously mentioned in public information following the project's submission to SEIA, with the annex providing explicit clarification on the two amounts.

According to the document's plan, the construction period is 20 months, with a peak workforce of approximately 400 workers and an average workforce of approximately 200. Following the issuance of the Environmental Qualification Resolution (RCA) and permits from relevant authorities, construction is scheduled to begin in May 2028, with grid connection and commercial operation planned for February 2030.

The plant is designed with an operational lifespan of 40 years, lasting until February 2070; the decommissioning phase is expected to take 18 months. The average number of employees during the operational period is 5, with a maximum of 9 during maintenance.

In terms of environmental management, voluntary commitments in the document include coordinating with the Tocopilla Provincial Fire Department to develop response plans for potential battery fires or explosions, with specific measures separately defined for BESS fires, chemical explosions of battery racks, and incidents involving lithium batteries during transport, installation, or storage.