The Chilean tunnelling division of STRABAG SE has signed a US$490M design and build contract for the majority of the tunneling and civil works totaling 46.5km on the Alto Maipo Hydroelectrical Power Plant – one of the biggest private construction contracts in South America
The client is Alto Maipo SpA, a subsidary of the Chilean-based AES Gener and the US-based AES Corporation. The scope of works includes detailed design engineering and the construction of underground and civil works of two hydroelectric plants – Alfalfal II and Las Lajas. The complete contract consists of the tunnels and shafts totaling 46.5km excavated by drill and blast as well as by TBMs. The design and construction period starts in November 2012 and will last for about four and a half years.
The hydroelectric complex will have a total capacity of approximately 531MW. The location of the Alto Maipo Hydro Power Plant is 50km south east of the city of Santiago, area in the high Maipo River basin of the municipal district of San José de Maipo situated in the Andes close to the Argentinean border with peaks up to 6,500m.
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