Enel starts construction of Ayanunga Hydro Plant in Peru

Enel, through its renewable energy subsidiary Enel Green Power Peru (EGPP), has started construction of its 20 MW run-of-river hydropower plant Ayanunga, which is located in the Monzón district in the Peruvian region of Huánuco.

“Peru is a key market for Enel Green Power and the start of construction of Ayanunga marks a step forward in the consolidation of our presence in the Peruvian renewable energy sector”, said Antonio Cammisecra, Head of Enel Green Power. “Once fully operational, this plant will add its 20 MW to the 780 MW of hydropower assets the Enel Group already operates in the country. Our aim is to lead the renewable energy development in Peru creating shared value for communities living in areas near our projects.”

Enel will be investing around 50 million US dollars in the construction of Ayanunga, which is part of the investment outlined in the Group’s current strategic plan. The project is supported by a 20-year energy supply contract signed with Peru’s Ministry of Energy and Mines.

Ayanunga will be able to contribute over 130 GWh per year to Peru’s energy system, equivalent to the annual consumption needs of over 105,000 Peruvian households. Ayanunga is expected to enter into service by the end of 2018 and, once fully operational, it will avoid the emission of more than 62,800 tonnes of CO2 per year into the atmosphere.

In line with the Creating Shared Value (CSV) model adopted by the Enel Group, which aims to combine business development and local community needs, EGPP is carrying out a CSV plan aimed at fostering income generation opportunities in the areas neighbouring the hydro project. The plan, which includes training on issues such as food health and safety to support the catering sector in those areas, is being implemented in coordination with local authorities and communities.

The Enel Group was awarded in 2016 the right to sign the energy supply contracts for the Ayanunga plant following the fourth public renewable energy tender launched by the Peruvian energy regulator OSINERGMIN. With a total of 326 MW of wind, solar and hydro capacity awarded in the tender, EGPP is expected to become the main renewable player in Peru by 2018 and the only company operating plants of three different renewable technologies in the country.

The Enel Group is present in the Peruvian generation sector through EGPP, which is also building the 180 MW Rubí solar plant, and through Enel Generación Perú and Enel Generación Piura, which can count on a combined installed capacity of around 2 GW. The Group also operates in the country’s distribution sector through Enel Distribución Perú, which serves nearly 1.4 million customers in Lima Region.

Enel Green Power, the Renewable Energies division of Enel Group, is dedicated to the development and operation of renewables across the world, with a presence in Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Enel Green Power is a global leader in the green energy sector with a managed capacity of around 39 GW across a generation mix that includes wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and hydropower, and is at the forefront of integrating innovative technologies like storage systems into renewable power plants.