Uruguay is moving forward with the construction of a new 30 MW photovoltaic park in Fray Bentos , one of the first steps in the plan with which the country projects to incorporate around 500 MW of solar power during the current five-year period .
The project will be developed in M'Bopicuá, Río Negro , with an estimated investment of USD 20 million , and will consist of 48,300 modules distributed across 60 hectares. The initiative is part of a long-term plan to expand both electricity generation and transmission over the next ten years.
Its execution has already sparked competition among developers and suppliers: 10 companies submitted bids in the tender to build the plant , a process that will define who will carry out one of the new photovoltaic additions planned by UTE.
“ There is no industry or national projects without energy. The good news is that we are prepared for it ,” stated Fernanda Cardona, Minister of Industry, Energy and Mining, during the official presentation of the project in Fray Bentos.
The scale of the program marks a significant shift from the recent pace of incorporation of this technology. While Uruguay aims to add 500 MW of photovoltaic capacity in five years , only 28 MW were added during the previous five-year period.
The goal is not limited to increasing solar energy's share of the grid. The government aims to ensure that the expansion of electrical infrastructure supports new industrial and production projects, particularly in inland areas with conditions conducive to attracting investment.
On that map appears Río Negro, chosen for its strategic location near Argentina, its logistical conditions, the availability of electrical networks and the existence of properties that can be used for new developments.
Fray Bentos will be one of the key elements of that strategy. The park is planned as the first component of a future industrial hub that aims to concentrate new productive activities around energy availability.
In addition to increasing the electricity supply, the Government aims to develop local suppliers, incorporate national components in contracts, and generate new technical capabilities in the territory.
The construction of the park will require between 80 and 100 workers and is expected to generate activity for businesses, SMEs and companies linked to its supply chain.
Plans are also underway to open an option for individuals to invest their savings in the project , earning returns and contributing to its financing. The information released so far does not specify the conditions under which this mechanism will be implemented.
From Fray Bentos to a 500 MW solar expansion
The Río Negro park is part of a considerably larger deployment. Official planning anticipates adding around 500 MW of solar power over the next five years , as part of a master plan that considers the evolution of generation and networks over a decade.
The strategy seeks to anticipate the necessary infrastructure so that energy availability does not become a bottleneck for future industrial projects.
“ The expansion of energy infrastructure must accompany industrial and productive development ,” Cardona said when presenting the guidelines behind the new investments.
In the case of Fray Bentos, its 30 MW represent only a fraction of the 500 MW planned, but they constitute one of the first materializations of the new photovoltaic investment cycle that Uruguay seeks to develop.
With the tender already contested by 10 companies and a planned investment of USD 20 million, the next step will be to move towards the construction of a power plant that will function not only as a new source of renewable generation, but as a starting point for a much broader solar deployment in the country.