Argentina's YPF Luz commissions 305 MW El Quemado solar park in Mendoza

YPF Luz inaugurated the El Quemado solar park in the Las Heras department of Mendoza, Argentina. The facility has a 305 MW capacity, representing about 11 % of the country's total solar power, and marks the first project to operate under the Régimen de Incentivo para Grandes Inversiones (RIGI).

The $211 million plant was built in 18 months (January 2025 to early 2026) on 620 hectares and includes more than 511 000 bifacial panels, 5 800 trackers, 1 170 inverters and 40 transformation centres, plus a new GIS substation and 180 km of fiber optic control lines. The first 200 MW began generating between December 2025 and February 2026, with the remaining 105 MW awaiting final tests. Output will be sold through the Renewable Energy Term Market to industrial and distribution customers nationwide.

During construction the project employed over 350 workers, 87 % of whom were local, and sourced 56 % of materials nationally. It is expected to avoid more than 385 000 tonnes of CO₂e annually. Officials at the ceremony included Chief of Staff Manuel Adorni, who said, "Esto es la Argentina del futuro," Mendoza Governor Alfredo Cornejo, YPF CEO Horacio Marín and YPF Luz CEO Martín Mandarano.