Wind energy in Uruguay: 150 MW bid, submit bids for 945 MW

A year ago opened the first wind farm joint venture in Sierra de los Caracoles, with five wind turbines installed and rated at 10 MW.

UTE received 22 bids from 15 companies for a total of 945 megawatts, more than six times the maximum wind power had set the government decree.

Companies involved are local but most have some kind of agreement or association with reference wind power operators in other countries of the world.

Each bidder could make a maximum of three bids in the tender. Maldonado was the department with seven proposals that aroused the greatest interest of private companies, followed by Tacuarembó with four offers. The rest were distributed in the departments of Flores, Lavalleja, San José, Montevideo, Cerro Largo Florida. UTE now be defined within 100 days what the winning bids are invited.

Unlike previous tenders, now the wind farms must be a minimum of 30 megawatts of installed wind power and a maximum of 50 megawatts. For that reason, given the cap of 150 MW, more than five bids will be winners and at least three of the 22 proposals received by the TUC.

It is expected that the new wind farms will be in operation in 2012. Furthermore, as defined in UTE-year plan to build another wind farm in partnership with public and private companies by a power of 200 MW.

Since 1 July UTE customers connected to low voltage network may generate and market electricity UTE. It should come solely from renewable energy sources according to the provisions adopted.

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