Invenergy has announced commercial operations have commenced on its high-voltage Tealov Cardal transmission line in Uruguay. Cardal is Invenergy’s third project in Uruguay. Invenergy currently owns the 65-megawatt La Jacinta Solar Farm and 70-megawatt Campo Palomas Wind Farm.
Cardal consists of a new 55-kilometer (34-mile), 500 kV high-voltage transmission line, a new 20-kilometer (12-mile), 150 kV transmission line, a new 500 kV substation, and accompanying infrastructure. The line connects to the Punta del Tigre substation and a 150 kV high-voltage line in Salto. Cardal also included enhancements to increase interconnection flows between the departments of Florida and San Jose.
“Electric transmission is essential to the energy transition. As Uruguay quickly decarbonizes its electricity matrix, Cardal will support resilience and reliability of the electric transmission grid,” said Bryan Schueler, Executive Vice President & Construction Business Leader at Invenergy. “The success of Cardal demonstrates Invenergy’s premier experience in major grid enhancement projects worldwide at a time when additional transmission is critical to support clean power growth."
The Cardal transmission line is integral to Uruguay’s clean power goals. Currently, 98% of the country’s electric generation is produced from clean power, dominated by hydropower and wind energy. The line is operated by the Uruguayan state-owned power company, Administración Nacional de Usinas y Trasmisiones Eléctricas (UTE), under a 30-year lease agreement.
With the energization of Cardal, Invenergy has now entered into service or contracted 6,475 linear kilometers (4,023 miles) of transmission and collector lines globally, including flagship projects throughout the Americas. Elsewhere in Latin America, Invenergy constructed a 44-kilometer (27-mile), 230 kV double circuit transmission line from Acajutla to Ahuachapan in El Salvador which connects its 378-megawatt LNG-to-power Energía del Pacifico project with the Central American Electrical Interconnection System or Sistema de Interconexión de los Países de América Central (SIEPAC).
Invenergy in partnership with IDB Invest, a member of the Inter-American Development Bank Group, financed the construction under an innovative A/B Bond structure in a Private Placement with US investors. The notes were rated Baa2 by Moody´s. The project was designed and constructed by a consortium formed by two Uruguayan engineering and construction firms, Saceem and Ingener, and created 480 direct construction jobs.
