PRAGUE: SOLEK, the company of Czech renewable energy pioneer Zdeněk Sobotka, is building its largest project to date. The 95,2 MW Leyda photovoltaic plant covers an area of 120 hectares, equivalent to 150 football fields, and it is located in San Antonio, 90 km from the capital Santiago de Chile. The new plant will significantly contribute to the decarbonisation goals of the country representing an advance renewable energy market.
Chile is one of the countries with a very modern, sustainable energy sector using a high level of renewable energy, and the new SOLEK Leyda power plant will contribute significantly to this and help meet the country’s decarbonisation goals.
The SOLEK`s Leyda photovoltaic power plant will generate 185 GWh of green energy annually, corresponding to the consumption of 23,000 households, and it will save 71,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. The electricity from Leyda will contribute to Chile’s ambitious plans to reach net zero emissions by year 2050.
The construction of the Chilean portfolio is financed in partnership with international banks BNP Paribas and Natixis. BlackRock Debt Fund also provided a mezzanine financing.
Once operational, the Leyda plant will supply the power generated through a 15-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with ENEL Generación Chile. This is a long-term energy supply contract between green power producer and customer with predefined conditions.
The project was developed in accordance with the highest standards on the market and with environmental considerations in mind. Four hundred direct and indirect jobs are expected to be created during construction. The plant is expected to be operational in the fourth quarter of 2024.
The SOLEK Group is now focusing on new and promising areas such as the development of floating PV systems, agrovoltaics and battery storage. SOLEK is a leading energy company engaged in the design, construction and operation of solar power plants in Europe and Latin America. It operates nearly 40 photovoltaic power plants in Chile with a total capacity of over 250 MW. By the end of 2023, the entire SOLEK Group had 486 MW of solar power plants connected or under construction.
