AES Andes inaugurates solar and storage hub in Chile

AES Andes has officially inaugurated the Andes Solar Hub, a large-scale photovoltaic and battery storage complex situated in the Atacama Desert within Chile's Antofagasta region. The facility features a combined capacity of 692 MW of solar power and 510 MW of energy storage.

The project is the result of a decade-long development process that began with Andes Solar I. The most recent phase, Andes Solar III, reached commercial operation in April, adding 171 MW of photovoltaic capacity and a 171 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) with a three-hour lifespan.

The total cumulative investment for the complex exceeds US$1.3 billion. The hub occupies 1,181 hectares of state-owned land granted through concessions. It is connected to the Andes Substation, a key transmission node that links to the electrical interconnection between Chile and Argentina.