Uruguay: UTE expands wind farm Sierra de los Caracoles with another 10 MW of wind power

The agency is bidding 150 megawatts of wind energy in wind farms of 30 to 50 megawatts. Wind farms are strategically located in the territory of Uruguay.

UTE director, Gerardo Rey, said the transfer of five wind turbines at Sierra de los Caracoles, where they were two months ago at the Port of Montevideo, aims to expand the wind farm.

The wind farm is the largest in Uruguay because it has five wind turbines that are capable of generating 10 megawatts.

In that sense, the director explained that Uruguay has two modes of development of wind power. On the one hand, the construction of the wind parks themselves, on the other hand, the bidding process, through which wind energy projects are awarded to private companies.

In this context, the agreement stipulates that up to 20-year UTE agrees to purchase all that private generator that produces electricity the wind farm. The wind farm in the Sierra de los Caracoles is owned by UTE for two years.

In that time he has had a high yield, so the agency decided to broaden the experience, noted Gerardo Rey.

The director graphically exemplified the size of the wind turbines, saying that "each of them is similar to the Antel tower. He explained that at this moment "is completing the work of foundations and now we will start the mills stopped.

It is estimated that in the first half of April, the five wind turbines will be operational in the wind farm, and therefore the production capacity of wind power will pass from 10 to 20 megawatts.

He said that wind turbines are of Spanish origin and 10 were purchased from Spain.

The first five wind turbines were purchased through a very particular mechanism. Uruguay had a debt with Spain, remission that was negotiated with the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uruguay. The condition of Spain was that for the same value, Uruguay will buy some industrial equipment that was needed.

The Uruguayan government decided to purchase outside wind turbines at a cost of $ 17 million, with subsidy. The new five mills had a cost of $ 25 million.

Gerardo Rey said 15 days ago is conducting a tender initiated by the Executive. This action results in the bidding for 150 megawatts of wind power in addition to what has already been installed with the option to purchase private power.

Thus, wind farms will be built that will work with amounts ranging between 30 and 50 megawatts and can be located anywhere in the country.

In that sense, UTE undertook a study of measures of wind energy, which is available to the bidders for the purpose of facilitating the submission of tenders. It will award a minimum of three bids and a maximum of five.

http://www.ute.com.uy/

http://www.energiaeolica.gub.uy/