Enel Green Power starts construction of new 100 MW wind farm in Mexico

The Enel Group, through its renewable subsidiary Enel Green Power Mexico ("EGPM"), has begun the construction of the 100 MW Amistad II wind farm in the northern State of Coahuila. Amistad II is the first project to start construction of those awarded in Mexico’s Third Long Term Auction, which was held in November of last year. The overall investment in the construction of the facility amounts to approximately 115 million US dollars, which is part of the investment outlined in Enel’s current Strategic Plan.

"The start of construction of the Amistad II wind farm is further proof of the long-term commitment and success of our operations in Mexico and an important milestone that strengthens our leadership in the renewable energy sector in the country," said Antonio Cammisecra, Enel’s Head of Global Renewable Energy business line, Enel Green Power. "With this new plant we are able to further fuel sustainable growth in Mexico’s high-potential energy market through Coahuila’s wealth of renewable resources."

Amistad II, located in Ciudad de Acuña, in the State of Coahuila, is scheduled to start operation in the first half of 2020. Once fully operational, the wind farm will be able to generate around 350 GWh annually, avoiding the emission of around 190,000 tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere. The construction of Amistad II will be based on Enel's "Sustainable Construction Site" model, incorporating the rational use of resources, such as water saving systems and recycling processes.

In the State of Coahuila, EGP is completing the Americas’ largest PV plant currently under construction, the 828 MW Villanueva plant, recently expanded from 754 MW, as well as the 200 MW Amistad wind farm. In Coahuila, the company was also awarded in the November 2017 tender the 100 MW Amistad III and 149 MW Amistad IV wind facilities, which will be built in Ciudad de Acuña along with Amistad and Amistad II.

The Amistad II wind farm is supported by a contract providing for the sale to the Mexican Centre for Energy Control’s Cámara de Compensación[1] of specified volumes of energy over a 15-year period and of the related clean certificates over a 20-year period.

Mexico’s Third Long Term Auction following the country’s Energy Reform awarded to Enel Green Power 593 MW, which include the 244 MW Dolores project in China, a municipality in the northeastern State of Nuevo León, as well as the abovementioned Amistad II, Amistad III and Amistad IV.

The Enel Group is the only player that has won the right to build new renewables facilities in the previous three auctions, on grounds of the quality, competitiveness and innovation of its proposals.