French company investing 205m dollars in two wind farms with 35 turbines

Thursday, March 7th 2013 - 01:11 UTC

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Wind energy is rapidly expanding in Uruguay’s rolling terrain

French Akuo Energy has broken ground at two maiden wind farm developments in Uruguay totalling 92MW, as it prepares to expand its footprint across Latin America.

The French developer hopes to bring online this year its 42MW Generación Eolica Minas site, recently acquired from German player Sowitec, and the 50MW Florida scheme. Akuo said it is investing 205 million dollars in the Uruguayan farms and is securing external project finance.

European development finance institutions PROPARCO, DEG and FMO are providing 88.5m to Florida, where Nordex will supply 21 N117/2400 2.4 MW wind turbines on 91-meter towers.

Consultancy Mott MacDonald carried out technical, environmental and social due diligence on Florida and will stay on to provide construction and operational monitoring.

Akuo is meanwhile in advanced finance negotiations at Generación Eolica Minas and expects to secure 76m shortly. Vestas is lined up to install 14 V112-3.0MW turbines at the development in the district of Lavalleja.

Company president Eric Scotto said: “Our goal since the beginning has been to focus on Uruguay as our entry market into Latin America. That strategy has paid off (and) our strong foothold in Uruguay will allow for future expansion into the region”.

Akuo Energy describes itself as a private group which specializes in the development of industrial power production plants from renewable resources such as wind, sun, water, biogas, biomass and bio-fuel. The company is involved in all stages of the life cycle of power plants: studies, design, financing, construction and operation.

Currently, Akuo Energy has offices and major projects in France and Corsica, several French overseas territories, Italy, Spain, Poland, Croatia, Bulgaria, Turkey, India, the United States and Uruguay, with a flexible approach that enables the company to adapt to all local energy schemes.

Categories: Energy & Oil, Environment, Investments, Latin America, Uruguay.

Tags: Akuo Energy, Eric Scotto, French Akuo Energy, Generación Eolica Minas, Uruguay, wind farms.

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Ayayay
Good job, Uruguay!!
Mar 07th, 2013 - 02:02 am 0
ChrisR
I see the usual dimmy on windmills thinks it's a good then.

He does not have to pay the stupid prices that have been agreed, and this in the country of hiper-priced electricity in the first place.

I have been through all the technical problems as well as the REAL costs of these monstrosities and do not intend wasting my time repeating it.

This is what you get when the President is unlearned in the sciences, as are most of the government and those who run UTE. I only wish that statement was wrong but they have all demonstrated the truth of it time after time.
Mar 07th, 2013 - 04:02 pm 0

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