Year: 2025
Customer: Alfa Transmisora de Energía
Location: San Felipe de Aconcagua
Voltage: 110 kV
Conductor length: <100 km
Old Conductor: AAAC Butte, AAAC Flint
New Conductor: HVCRC® 280-40 (Casablanca / Laredo size)
The works were carried out on the 2×110 kV Esperanza – Rio Aconcagua Transmission Lines and the Las Vegas – Esperanza Transmission Lines, currently in progress by Monlux Chile for Alfa Transmisora de Energía.
Both projects are located in the Valparaíso Region, Province of San Felipe de Aconcagua, a short distance north of the capital city of Santiago. This is located near the La Campana National Park, which Charles Darwin climbed on August 17, 1834, and where the famous naturalist discovered new species of fauna in the area.
The project’s goal was to increase transmission capacity by replacing the AAAC Butte conductors between the Esperanza substation and the Río Aconcagua substation, as well as the AAAC Flint conductors between the Las Vegas substation and the Esperanza substation, to enable an increase in transmission capacity to at least 184 MVA at 40°C, which implied the use of a high-temperature, low-sag HVCRC® Casablanca conductor stranded by Centelsa in Colombia, installed with hardware from Dervaux (Sicame Group).
To ensure a safe and smooth installation, training of installation crews was held by HTLS and HVCRC® field expert Sergio Rojas at Monlux facilities in a town called Llay-Llay, which in the native language of the area means “wind-wind”.
The main purpose of the training was to ensure that the work would be carried out with the safest and most effective installation methods.
Under a scorching sun with a temperature of 35°C and in an area surrounded by the green landscapes of avocado fields, all the contractor’s crews as well as representatives of Monlux and Alfa Transmisora de Energía were attending, as the training covered all installation procedures, inspection of tools, equipment, machinery, including assembly and compression of accessories.
