Image credit: Doosan Škoda Power

Doosan Škoda Power has commissioned a 110MW steam turbine for the concentrated solar power plant (CSP) in the Atacama Desert, Chile.

The plant, owned by CSP developer Cerro Dominador, makes use of the excellent sun radiation combined with high altitude in the Atacama Desert.

The plant provides power to approximately 380,000 households in the Antofagasta Region in Chile.

Michal Sarpong, Area Sales Director at Doosan Škoda Power, said: “We are glad to be part of this successful project…This 110 MW turbine shows that large scale CSP projects are no longer just a vision but a tangible reality. Projects of such sizes and larger are the only way of making this technology commercially competitive and supporting renewable technology to become economically viable.”

The CSP plant combines solar electricity production with thermal storage, which allows electricity to be provided at night. According to Doosan Škoda Power, molten salts are charged by a sun ray receiver during the day and discharged during the night to produce steam for the turbine.

The thermal energy is stored and transferred to electrical energy by the steam turbine when needed.

This project aligns with Chile’s decarbonisation goals and will support the region’s shift away from conventional power sources such as coal and gas-fired plants.