Colina, Chile — May 20, 2025
Engie Chile has begun construction of Libélula, its first photovoltaic-plus-battery energy storage system (PV + BESS) project in the Metropolitan Region, as part of its roadmap to reach 3.5 GW of installed capacity by 2027. Over 60% of that target will be powered by renewable sources and battery storage systems.
Located in the communes of Colina and Tiltil, roughly 40 kilometers north of Santiago, the Libélula project will feature 245,560 solar panels generating up to 151 MWp. Complementing this will be 208 lithium-ion battery containers with a 5-hour discharge capacity, adding another 199 MW. Altogether, the hybrid facility will boast a total installed capacity of 350 MW, enough to supply clean electricity to more than 120,000 households across Chile.
“The integration of battery storage will allow us to optimize energy delivery and ensure a more stable and resilient electricity supply for the country,” said Rosaline Corinthien, CEO of Engie Chile.
Details and Infrastructure
With a total investment of over USD 310 million, Libélula is currently in its early construction phase and is expected to begin commercial operations by Q3 2026.
Juan Villavicencio, Managing Director of Renewables and Batteries at Engie Chile, emphasized that Libélula is both the company’s first hybrid project in the region and the first to be designed and built as a hybrid from inception. “This will allow us to strategically dispatch locally generated renewable energy during peak demand hours while helping stabilize the national grid and reduce CO2 emissions,” he said.
The project includes a new step-up substation and a 1×220 kV high-voltage transmission line stretching approximately 16 km to connect with the El Manzano Substation, enabling integration into Chile’s National Electric System (SEN).
A Regional First: Low-Carbon Steel Deployment
Libélula will also mark a major regional innovation milestone by incorporating low-carbon steel solar tracking systems. It is set to become the first large-scale PV project in Latin America to use Nextracker’s NX Horizon™ trackers made from U.S.-produced steel via electric arc furnace (EAF) technology.
The system includes 2,311 low-carbon solar trackers, reducing carbon emissions related to steel by approximately 30% compared to traditional manufacturing methods.
“Decarbonizing the solar supply chain requires innovation and reliable partnerships,” said Yves Figuerola, SVP of Supply Chain at Nextracker. “Libélula sets a new standard for climate-conscious infrastructure across Latin America and beyond.”