Statkraft announces it has decided to start construction of the 51.6-MW Los Lagos hydropower plant in Chile. The construction is planned to commence in August and completion is scheduled for second half of 2022.
The total investment cost of the Los Lagos hydropower plant is estimated to be about US$204 million. The power plant will have annual production of 260 GWh.
The contract for civil works has been awarded to a local consortium consisting of the three construction companies: Brotec, Valko and OBChile. The electro- and hydromechanical equipment will be delivered by Voith, which will supply the major components and construction services from its facilities in Brazil.
“Chile is an attractive market for Statkraft, with an increasing demand for renewable energy and several opportunities for developing hydro, wind and solar. In line with our strategy, we are working to build scale in Chile,” said Statkraft Executive Vice President for International Power Jurgen Tzschoppe. “We want to capitalize on our combined expertise in power generation and market operations to best serve the market and provide energy to large industrial customers in the country.”
Los Lagos will be located on the Pilmaiquen River, downstream of Statkraft’s 52.5-MW Rucatayo hydropower plant. The location is close to the city of Osorno, about 900 km south of the capital Santiago.
In February 2015, Statkraft acquired Electrica Pilmaiquen S.A.zfvqefdvxbsvdwzzfywxctrywaba, including the rights to develop the Los Lagos project. Technical assessments and a comprehensive consultation process have been finalized in accordance with Statkraft standards and in line with international best practices, the company says. Stakeholder engagement with indigenous communities and other local stakeholders will continue with the aim of establishing a long-term relationship.
Statkraft has been present in Chile since 2014 and the company owns a production capacity of 370 MW with an annual production of 1,188 GWh. The company is also assessing wind and solar opportunities in Chile and evaluating possibilities for bidding in future renewable energy auctions.
