100th pylon raised for powerline link to Condór solar PV project

Construction work on the first phase of Mainstream’s huge 1.3GW Andes Renovables platform in Chile has achieved an early milestone.

With operations continuing around the Government’s COVID-19 ‘dynamic quarantines’, contractors from Transelec last week raised the 100th transmission line pylon to serve Río Escondido, Mainstream’s first solar PV project in the country.

The scene of the achievement, near the Tierra Amarilla commune in the northern region of Atacama, will eventually form part of a 55.5km long transmission line, featuring a total of 179 towers.

It will initially carry energy generated by the 170MWp solar plant to the Cardones substation, where it will be injected into the National Energy System.

At a later date, the line will also serve Río Escondido’s sister project, the 123 MWp Valle Escondido solar PV farm, which is still at its development stage.

• Río Escondido is part of the 571 MW Condór portfolio, which  includes the Tchamma, Cerro Tigre and Alena wind farms. This first phase of our wholly owned and fully contracted Andes Renovables platform will begin powering Chilean homes from 2021.