Over 16 km of high voltage power line built in a record altitude of 4.100 meters in the Andes which will make it possible to connect the Huallin hydroelectric plant to the Peruvian national grid, a town located 500 km north of the capital Lima, significantly increasing the production and transport of renewable energy for the benefit of both the local community and all the other disadvantaged populations supported fromOperation Mato Grosso. With the start of work expected at the end of spring, the collaboration project between Terna (through its subsidiary Terna Plus), the Parish of Chacas, owner of the hydroelectric plant, and Siemens begins to take shape.
The signing of the Implementation Agreement - which took place today in Rome between Michele De Censi (grandson of Father Ugo De Censi, founder of theOperation Mato Grosso) representing the Parish of Chacas, and Giovanni Cerchiarini (CEO of Terna Plus), with the participation in the event also of Gennaro di Tuoro (Director Sales&Marketing Energy Management of Siemens) – in fact lays the foundations for the opening of the construction sites of the new infrastructure that will be completed in about 12-15 months. The implementation phase will see the involvement of local businesses and European suppliers including Siemens and Tamini, as well as highly specialized technicians and workers and the work is expected to be put into operation in mid-2020. Specifically, Terna Plus undertakes to supply all EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) activities, Siemens will provide the equipment and the equipment for the future electrical conversion station, the Parish of Chacas and its volunteers are entrusted with the civil works, the construction of the substation, obtaining the necessary authorizations and local logistics, while Tamini is responsible for the supply of a transformer of the latest generation suited to operate at high altitudes.
For Terna, the Agreement falls within the broader sphere of the development of 'solidarity business' projects and voluntary activities already promoted for several years for the well-being of the most disadvantaged populations of the territories in which it operates, also through support for voluntary organizations and non-profit in charity and social solidarity interventions always with a view to environmental sustainability. Indeed, once in operation, the 60 kV power line will allow for the safe integration of all the renewable energy produced by the Huallin plantcurrently very limited due to the inadequacy of the only medium voltage connection available. Furthermore, the intervention will make it possible to allocate the proceeds from the sale of the surplus energy to the numerous initiatives of the Parish in support of the inhabitants of the area, thus contributing to the improvement of the quality of life of the local people in the full pursuit of the sustainability objectives of the UN.
The Parish of Chacas represents one of the most important realities of Operation Mato Grosso the Italian organization founded in 1976 by Father Ugo De Censi which for over forty years has been carrying out non-profit voluntary work in favor of the poorest populations living in South America. Through multiple initiatives theOperation Mato Grosso it is the engine of initiatives to promote and guarantee food subsistence and population health, technical and professional training for young people, creating conditions for a dignified life and sustainable social and economic development for the poorest.
It is precisely from this point of view that the agreement with Terna was born to support the project for the new connection from the Huallin plant to the electricity grid: the hydroelectric plant, with a power of around 3 MW, it was created by the Parish through private contributions and supports the local electricity system. However, the current connection does not allow more than 1 MW of electricity to be introduced into the grid, thus limiting the production of the plant which cannot express its full energy potential. By adopting solutions for connecting to the existing grid, designed and engineered by Terna, innovative for the Peruvian electricity system, the line will make it possible to safely evacuate the energy produced by the plant and therefore to have more resources available on a permanent and lasting basis for social and economic support operate throughout the Peruvian territory.
In Peru, Terna was already awarded in September 2017 the tender called by Proinversion - the investment agency headed by the Peruvian Ministry of Energy and Mines - for the construction of a new 138kV power line with a length of 132 km, which will join the electricity stations of Aguaytía and Pucallpa (in the Ucayali region) and which is expected to be completed during the second half of 2020.
