Peru power generation capacity to jump nearly 700MW this year

Peru’s power generation park is expected to increase 690MW in 2023, according to grid coordinator COES.

The growth will be led by what will be the country’s largest wind farm, the Punta Lomitas plant (pictured), which comprises an initial 260MW and a 36.4MW expansion.

Additional capacity will come from a 177MW expansion at the 132.5MW Wayra wind farm, the 114.9MW Clemesí solar park and a 102MW thermal plant at the Talara oil refinery.

Installed capacity at end-December stood at 13,420MW, 55% of which was thermal (primarily natural gas), 39% hydro, 3% wind and 2% solar. 

Peak load demand last month was 7,468MW, up 4% from December 2021.

Last year, new capacity came from a 114.5MW expansion at the Las Flores thermal plant, while commercial operations of the 10MW G1 unit of the Patapo hydro and the 140.7MW TV1 unit of the Ilo 2 thermal were concluded.

Although Peru enjoys a “healthy” reserve margin, there has been a push to incorporate efficient generation to avoid having to resort to inefficient diesel-fired production to cover demand, particularly that related to latent offtake from mining projects.

Source: COES

Data compiled by BNamericas using COES metrics reveals that energy demand records were set in December.

[insight#259774679]

[insight#259786032]