Wind energy in Uruguay: Talas de Maciel I wind farm achieves financial close

The US$117 million Talas de Maciel I onshore wind farm in Uruguay, being developed by Astidey S.A, has successfully reached financial close.

Mott MacDonald was lenders’ technical advisor to the Export-Import Bank of the United States and Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Uruguay S.A. for the project and is now providing construction monitoring services in an ongoing role.

Located 150km north west of Montevideo, the 50MW wind farm will be comprised of 25 Gamesa G97 wind turbines. The scheme will form part of an initiative by the Uruguayan government to reduce the country’s dependence on imported oil to produce electricity.

Ivan Chindurza, Mott MacDonald’s project manager, said: “Uruguay has a population of 3.4 million and no oil, gas or coal reserves. Wind power is helping to solve a major energy problem for the country and so far power purchase agreements for over 1000MW of wind energy projects have been approved by the government.” The Talas de Maciel I wind farm is scheduled for commercial operation in late 2015.