| Work Detail |
Located in Arequipa, the plant is connected to the National Interconnected Electric System (SEIN) and has a PPA for all of the energy contracted long-term by Kallpa Generación. The San Martín Solar plant, with an installed capacity of 252.4 MW and located in the district of La Joya, Arequipa province, has entered commercial operation, becoming the largest photovoltaic plant in Peru. The project, developed by Zelestra Perú—a subsidiary of the Spanish company Zelestra, formerly Solarpack—supplies energy to the National Interconnected Electric System (SEIN), with the capacity to meet the annual consumption of more than 440,000 homes across the country. Construction of San Martín Solar began in early 2024 and required an investment of $179.7 million. It covers an area of ??more than 800 hectares in an area of ??high solar radiation and arid climate. The plant integrates 665 Wp solar modules and a single-axis tracking system. The electrical infrastructure includes 32 transformer substations, each equipped with eight inverters, a transformer, and medium-voltage cells. The project was granted a definitive concession by the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM) to Joya Solar, a subsidiary of Zelestra, following the approval of the Environmental Impact Statement in 2021. All of the energy produced by San Martín Solar is contracted long-term by Kallpa Generación , through a power purchase agreement (PPA) between private parties, which allowed for the financing to be structured under the project finance modality, with a $176.6 million package provided by international banks. During the construction phase, San Martín Solar generated approximately 450 direct jobs, and its expected lifespan is more than 30 years. San Martín Solar is part of Zelestras broader portfolio of renewable projects in Peru, which includes initiatives such as Tacna Solar (22.2 MW), Panamericana (21.2 MW) , and Moquegua (19.4 MW), in addition to other projects totaling more than 530 MWdc in contracts signed or under development. The plant connects to the San José substation via a 220 kV transmission line. |
