| Work Detail |
The project, which is years behind schedule, could be finished in August if works continue at the current rate.
The electricity company from the Argentine province of San Juan, Energía Provincial Sociedad del Estado (EPSE) of Argentina, has announced the official intention to have the solar panel factory that it is building in Pocito finished by August, according to the head of the board of directors of the company, Juan Carlos Caparrós. According to the information released, 85% of the work has already been done.
The site chosen for the integrated factory of solar silicon ingots, wafers and crystalline cells, and 71 MW photovoltaic solar panels, is located on Calle Maurín and Calle 6, in Pocito.
A year ago, EPSE published that the State and National Governments signed agreements to advance the construction of the solar panel factory, which has been announced for years. It was then that the work began through a Transitory Union of Companies (UTE) made up of Senda SRL and Bilbao Construcciones SRL, both from San Juan. This first phase includes logistics, photovoltaic cell manufacturing, photovoltaic solar panel manufacturing, storage, changing rooms and bathrooms, control rooms and outdoor sectors, including sentry boxes and green spaces.
Progress and pending work
As far as civil works are concerned, the assembly of beams, metal structures and heavy work in general has already been completed. Up to now, 6,300 m2 of LRM (Mineral Rock Wool) panels have been placed on the roof deck out of a total of 7,800 m2 and the vertical closure will continue later.
Preparatory work is also being carried out for the execution of the industrial floor, of the clean room type, in order to receive the machines from the production lines.
In addition, the external sectors that include vehicular circulation, concrete pavements, sidewalks for pedestrian circulation, gutters for storm drains and lighting system are in their final stage. Electrical installations have also been carried out with the laying of underground power lines and the assembly of panels and transformers in the electrical rooms continues. In addition, progress has been made with fire-fighting installations, with a sprinkler system and the assembly of control stations.
With regard to air conditioning installations, they present an important advance with the placement of thermomechanical equipment and air handlers.
Due to the characteristics of the equipment used to manufacture a solar panel, it will be necessary to advance with special process facilities and systems, such as cooling water, dry compressed air, an air extraction system and the most complex, an ultrapure water system. . In this regard, Caparrós explained that this equipment is already being manufactured at the request of the project.
The installation of equipment for manufacturing photovoltaic cells and photovoltaic solar panels will soon begin.
According to the president, the work is progressing according to schedule, but there are some delays in the delivery of equipment due to the pandemic, which has affected some stages in the manufacture of elements necessary for the plant. In any case, the plan is scheduled to conclude in August this year.
The supply contract for the 70 MW plant was signed in October 2013 between the state-owned company Energía Provincial Sociedad del Estado (EPSE) of San Juan and the Argentine subsidiary of the German company Schmid Group, and it has not yet taken off. |
