The 210-MW Portezuelo del Viento hydro plant planned for Argentina’s Colorado River in Mendoza is environmentally feasible and would improve conditions in the basin, the province said in a statement.
According to Bnamericas, the declaration followed a national public hearing in Buenos Aires where the project’s environmental impact study was presented.
The federal government commissioned the joint provincial committee of the Colorado river (COIRCO) to conduct the EIS, which included the participation of the Litoral and La Plata universities. COIRCO comprises authorities from Mendoza, Neuquen, Rio Negro, Buenos Aires and La Pampa provinces.
In August, geological studies were completed with “broadly satisfactory” results, the statement added.
Argentina’s infrastructure and water policy secretary Pablo Bereciartua said the goal is to launch bidding at year-end. The project has grown since it was first proposed for development in 2006 with a capacity of 90 MW to 120 MW.
Current installed hydro generation capacity in the country is 29.5% hydro, with the majority (64.2%) being supplied by thermal facilities, Bnamericas says.
In previous hydro news in the country, in May the World Bank approved a new US$250 million guarantee to facilitate private investment in projects falling under the Argentina Ministry of Energy and Mining’s RenovAr Program.
