It considers an investment of up to US$200 million and must go through the admissibility of the authority within a maximum period of five business days, where it is verified that the Environmental Impact Statement meets all the formal requirements required by law.
The modification will allow increasing the installed capacity of the original project by up to an additional 180 MW, which is equivalent to 20% more than the current installed capacity of the project. With this, Horizonte could have up to 996 MW.
Colbún reported the entry into the Environmental Impact Assessment System (SEIA) of the project to modify the Horizonte Wind Farm, located in the Antofagasta Region. This expansion will increase the installed capacity of 816 MW of the original park that is currently under construction by up to 20%.
The project entered into the Antofagasta Environmental Evaluation Service, which considers an investment of up to US$200 million, must go through the admissibility of the authority within a maximum period of 5 business days, where it is verified that the Environmental Impact Declaration complies with all the formal requirements required by law.
The Horizonte Wind Farm project, which to date has progressed approximately 80% in its construction and is expected to begin a gradual start of operations this year, will mark a milestone in the transition to renewable energies, since it will be the largest wind farm in Chile and the second largest in Latin America.
The modification contemplates the installation of up to 24 new wind turbines, with a maximum nominal power of 7.5 MW each, which will add up to an additional 180 MW to its generation capacity, equivalent to the electricity consumption of 130,000 homes.
It is estimated that construction, which is expected to begin in the second half of 2025 taking advantage of the temporary infrastructure of the original park currently under construction, will provide 400 jobs and will last 18 months. All of these new facilities will prevent the emission of 99,220 tons of CO2 per year, which is equivalent to planting 944,952 trees.
"We are focused on the development of projects that promote the transition towards a more sustainable energy future for Chile and the Antofagasta Region. Horizonte will be the largest and most emblematic generation plant in Chile, and this expansion is a key step in our commitment with our clients, contributing to a responsible energy transition in balance with the planet. The project is aligned with the national objectives in terms of renewable energy and reaffirms the company's commitment to the generation of clean, competitive and safe energy. In addition, “We have a labor linkage program, an important source of employment for the Taltal commune, since many local SMEs are part of our supply chain for the development of the project,” stated José Ignacio Escobar, CEO of Colbún.
Under the Horizonte Wind Farm Project, for the third consecutive year, the Horizonteduca program will continue to operate, whose objective is to provide tools, technical knowledge and skills to young people in third and fourth year of the José Miguel Quiroz Polytechnic High School in Taltal.
“This program is another example of the long-term commitment we have to the development of the Antofagasta Region and we will continue working so that it reaches more and more young people in the area,” concluded the CEO of Colbún.
