Chile inaugurates its first transmission-connected battery storage project

With the participation of Chilean energy minister Diego Pardow, Saesa Group – the second largest electricity distributor in the country – has launched a 5.2 MW/26 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Nueva Imperial, in Cautín province in the southern Chilean region of Araucanía.

Saesa – which serves more than 15% of Chile’s population with electricity generation from various energy sources, including the Cerro Dominador solar thermal plant – said the new project is the first BESS system to connect directly to the transmission system.

The capacity of the project is “sufficient to supply approximately 2,500 homes for 10 continuous hours,” according to the utility.

At an inauguration event for the project, Saesa general manager Francisco Alliende, highlighted the technological innovation represented by the project which, he said, “we hope will serve as a model for future initiatives at the national and regional level.” Minister Pardow said the project was “one of the many steps we must take to ensure that our electrical system stops depending on fossil fuels and we achieve the decarbonization of our energy matrix.”

René Saffirio, governor of Araucanía, said the region is positioned as a benchmark in technology and sustainability.

From pv magazine LatAm.