Enel starts construction of Peru's largest wind farm

Enel, through its subsidiary Enel Green Power Peru (“EGPP”), has started construction of Wayra I (previously called Nazca), its first wind farm in Peru, located in the district of Marcona, Ica region.  The facility, where the first wind turbines are currently being installed, will have a total capacity of 132 MW and, once completed, will be the country’s largest wind farm.

"The construction of Enel's first wind farm in Peru furthers our presence in the country and demonstrates our strong commitment to the Peruvian renewable energy market," said Antonio Cammisecra, Head of Enel Green Power. “We are fully dedicated to developing new projects that will contribute to the diversification of our footprint in the country. Our aim in Peru is to become the leading player in renewable energy, which we consider to be essential for a sustainable development at the local and national level."

The Enel Group will invest approximately 165 million US dollars in the construction of the new wind farm, which is part of the investments outlined in its current strategic plan. The project, which is expected to enter into service in the first half of 2018, is supported by a 20-year electricity supply contract  signed with Peru’s Ministry of Energy and Mines.

The new wind facility, which comprises 42 wind turbines of over 3 MW each, will be able to generate around 600 GWh per year, equivalent to the annual consumption needs of over 480,000 Peruvian households, while avoiding the emission of nearly 288,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere each year. The energy produced by the wind farm will be delivered to the Peruvian transmission grid (SEIN) through the Poroma substation.

In line with the Creating Shared Value (CSV) model adopted by the Enel Group, which aims to combine business development and local community needs, EGPP is carrying out a CSV plan aimed at fostering income generation opportunities in the areas neighbouring the wind project. The plan, which includes entrepreneurial empowerment courses for women and support for establishing their own businesses, is being implemented in coordination with local authorities and communities.

The Enel Group was awarded in 2016 the right to sign the energy supply contracts for Wayra I1 following the fourth public renewable energy tender launched by the Peruvian energy regulator OSINERGMIN. With a total of 326 MW of wind, solar and hydro capacity awarded in the tender, EGPP is expected to become the main renewable player in Peru by 2018 and the only company operating plants of three different renewable technologies in the country.

The Enel Group is present in the Peruvian generation sector through EGPP, which is also building the 180 MW Rubí solar plant and the 20 MW Ayanunga hydro facility, as well as through Enel Generación Perú and Enel Generación Piura, which can count on a combined installed capacity of around 2 GW. The Group also operates in the country’s distribution sector through Enel Distribución Perú, which serves nearly 1.4 million customers in Lima Region.

Enel Green Power, the renewable energies division of the Enel Group, is dedicated to the development and operation of renewables across the world, with a presence in Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Enel Green Power is a global leader in the green energy sector with a managed capacity of around 39 GW across a generation mix that includes wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and hydropower, and is at the forefront of integrating innovative technologies like storage systems into renewable power plants.