Germán von Geldern, Raylex chairman, reflects in this article on the Los Cóndores Project and the challenges and achievements of this telecommunications network.
A little over a year ago I shared the news of the start-up of the telecommunications network for our client Enel Generación Chile S.A., located at the top of the Maule River basin, Cordillera de los Andes.
This network provides the necessary interconnection for the control and supervision of the new Los Cóndores Hydroelectric Power Plant. Said project considered the construction and fitting out of several radio stations and a passive reflector, interconnected by means of AVIAT Microwave links, equipped with solar energy systems and ATLAS COPCO generators, as well as multiplexer, fiber optic and security equipment.
This telecommunications network is located in an area characterized by heavy snowfall, which accumulates in large quantities, which, added to the prevailing low temperatures, make it impossible to access several of the radio stations for much of the year.
One of the crucial aspects of the project was the design and dimensioning of the energy and infrastructure system that would allow uninterrupted, autonomous and safe operation, considering the extreme environmental demands and lack of energy availability at the sites due to difficult access.
Today, more than a year after the entry into operation of the entire network, we have reviewed the behavior and reliability of the system; and we have been able to verify that it has operated according to the design parameters with 100% availability, which allowed our client to operate the communications system for control and supervision currently in use and those that could be activated in the future.
From the point of view of the performance of the energy systems, they operated without problems even during the period of lowest light, minimizing dependence on the diesel generation system, thereby ensuring that the annual refueling is sufficient to operate for more of a year This is possible given the applied design concept and the adequate dimensioning of the photovoltaic generation system, which allows satisfying more than 90% of the energy demand required by the radio stations.
This project is an achievement of engineering and construction, in which numerous work teams from our company participated with great commitment, dedication and professionalism.
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