Chile’s first geothermal project comes to life.
After 40 years of exploration and drilling, drilling for Chile’s first geothermal project at Cerro Pabellón is finally underway. Marcelo Tokman, General Manager of Chile’s utility, ENAP, highlighted the importance of geothermal exploration in a region that is heavily dependent on fossil fuels. ENAP shares ownership of the plan with Enel Green Power.
Source: http://www.ipsnews.net
The Cerro Pabellón project will consist of two 24MW wells and will generate power 24/7. Plant production capacity is equivalent of a 200MW solar or wind plant. In the long term, the plant can be expanded to produce up to 100 MW of power. Token added that 155,000 tons of C02 emissions will be cut annually a as a result of this geothermal project.
Thus far, a total of $60 million has been invested in exploration. Moving forward, $320 million is expected to go into the construction of the plant and a 73km power line. To compensate for the disruptions that construction will create, ENPA and ENEL have signed agreements with local indigenous populations to create social development projects.
To read more about the details of the Cerro Pabellón geothermal project, click here.
To get involved in the conversation about geothermal power in the region, join us at the 2015 Geothermal Congress for Latin America and the Caribbean.
