Colbún secures approval for 346 MW Cuatro Vientos wind project in Chile

Chilean power company Colbún has secured environmental approval for its 346 MW Cuatro Vientos wind project in the Los Lagos region of southern Chile.

The USD 540 million project was designed to create a wind farm in the commune of Llanquihue using 48 turbines of 7.2 MW each, with a maximum tower height of 170 metres and a rotor diameter of up to 172 metres. Colbun expects this set-up to achieve a capacity factor of 25% and generate around 800 GWh of electricity annually, the company said in the environmental impact study (EIS) for Cuatro Vientos. The project also includes construction of a step-up substation and a 15-km (9.3 miles) transmission line leading to an existing substation in Llanquihue. Colbún must obtain additional permits before construction can begin at the Llanquihue site. Based on currently available information, the Cuatro Vientos wind farm is expected to enter commercial operation in Q1 of 2028.