Construction begins on South America's first geothermal plant

• 9 years ago (2015-07-17)
• Junior Isles

Europe 1089 Renewables 776

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Chile’s state-owned Empresa Nacional del Petroleo (Enap) and Enel Green energy have begun construction of a 48 MW geothermal plant in Ollague, Antofagasta, Chile.

The $320 million plant will be the first geothermal power facility in South America, and the world's first at 4500 m above sea level. The power plant will be 51 per cent owned by an Enel subsidiary and the other 49 per cent will be owned directly by Enap.

Francesco Venturini, Enel Green Power CEO, said: "Cerro Pabellón also sets out another record by being built at the highest altitude for a binary geothermal plant. Thanks to its more than a century of experience in the sector, Enel Green Power has been able to leverage its know-how to develop part of Chile's enormous geothermal potential, estimated to total about 3600 MW, and to thereby contribute to diversifying the country's energy mix."

The project is expected to be finished in the first half of 2017 and will generate around 340 GWh annually.