Canadian developer plans 1 GW solar park in Argentina

Aisa Group is seeking to secure financial incentive to build a massive photovoltaic park in the department of Jáchal, province of San Juan, with an estimated investment of $600 million. The project includes supplying energy to industrial users and the national electricity grid.

From pv magazine Latam

Canada-based Aisa Group submitted a project proposal to build a 1,000 MW solar farm in Jáchal, San Juan, northern Argentina, under the country's investment incentive scheme Régimen de Incentivo a las Grandes Inversiones (RIGI).

The project should be constructed with an estimated investment of around $600 million.

The massive facility is expected to supply energy to unspecified industrial customers in the region and to the national electricity grid.

The RIGI grants tax, customs, and exchange benefits for 30 years to investment projects exceeding $200 million in strategic sectors.

The plan submitted to the RIGI includes connecting the plant to the National Interconnected System, which will allow energy to be dispatched to different parts of the country.

The development of the solar farm is part of the company's expansion strategy in the Argentinian energy sector.

According to official information, the first stage of the project will be implemented at the Gualcamayo mining site, where 50 MW will initially be installed for the mining operation's electricity consumption. Subsequently, the plan includes capacity expansion and the construction of a 500 kV high-voltage link to facilitate integration into the national grid.

In addition to the park in San Juan, Aisa Group is developing other renewable energy initiatives in Argentina. Among these, a photovoltaic project in the province of San Luis stands out, with a first phase of 22 MW capacity and subsequent expansion to 51 MW.

The Ministry of Economy is responsible for evaluating the proposal submitted to the RIGI, which has 45 business days to issue a resolution. Once approved, the company can begin construction under the conditions established by the incentive scheme.

Currently, Argentina's largest PV plant is the 300 MW Cauchari project, which is currently being expanded to 500 MW.