Under the management of Lucas Estrada, San Juan is investing US$37 million of its own funds in the Ullum Alfa Solar Park. The EPSE project will supply electricity to 50,000 households and strengthen the province’s energy sovereignty.
Lucas Estrada, head of EPSE, explained that San Juan is financing the completion of the Ullum Alfa Solar Park with its own resources, a US$37 million investment that became the responsibility of the province following the dissolution of the national fund that had supported the project.
Estrada highlighted that the park, which will have an installed capacity of 50 MWp, will be able to supply approximately 50,000 homes and will become the largest complex directly operated by EPSE. Scheduled to begin operations by the end of 2026, the project is also generating local employment and consolidating San Juan as one of Argentina’s leading solar energy hubs.
By Panorama Minero
The Province of San Juan is deepening its renewable energy development strategy by assuming full financing of a highly significant infrastructure project. The project in question is the Ullum Alfa Solar Park, which previously depended on national funding structures and, under the current administration of Governor Marcelo Orrego, is now being financed entirely by provincial resources. Leading this ambitious initiative is Lucas Estrada, President of Energía Provincial Sociedad del Estado (EPSE), who is coordinating efforts to strengthen the province’s energy autonomy.
From National Dependence to Provincial Investment
The financial history of the Ullum Alfa Park took a decisive turn in 2024. Initially, the project was part of a financing scheme through the Renewable Energy Development Trust Fund (FONDEP). Following the dissolution of that national agency, the province faced the choice of halting the project or finding local alternatives. The political decision was clear: the provincial government instructed EPSE to take full control of financing to ensure completion of a project considered vital for maintaining San Juan’s position as a leader in photovoltaic power generation.
This investment, totaling approximately US$37 million, is being executed through EPSE’s own resources. Estrada emphasized that this commitment is not merely an infrastructure matter but a strategic decision aimed at securing the energy supply needed to sustain growing demand in San Juan. As a direct public investment, the park becomes an asset owned 100% by the provincial company, without external partners, ensuring that revenues generated from electricity sales return to the Province of San Juan to support future growth.
Technical Progress and State-of-the-Art Equipment
Located on a 170-hectare site in the department of Ullum, the park continues to show steady progress. According to current reports, civil construction has reached approximately 43% completion, while the procurement of critical equipment exceeds 90%. The province already has on site all 79,650 photovoltaic panels, inverters, transformer stations, and solar tracking systems.
The technology deployed at Ullum Alfa is cutting-edge, utilizing bifacial N-type panels that optimize solar radiation capture. These panels are mounted on single-axis trackers that maximize efficiency throughout the sun’s daily path. The complex will be integrated into the national electrical grid through a medium-voltage transmission line connected to a transformer station operated by EPSE itself, enabling modern and centralized management through remote-control systems.
Social Impact and Energy Outlook
The completion of the park, scheduled for late October or early November 2026, will have an immediate impact on citizens’ lives. With an installed capacity of 50 MWp, Ullum Alfa will be capable of supplying the annual electricity consumption of approximately 50,000 households. This represents nearly 10% of the province’s current installed capacity, reinforcing a model in which San Juan generates more energy than it consumes and becomes a net exporter of clean energy to the rest of the country.
Beyond its energy benefits, the project has also served as an economic driver. During construction, between 100 and 150 jobs have been created, with strong participation from qualified local labor. The project has also stimulated small and medium-sized national companies supplying goods and services, creating a multiplier effect that extends beyond electricity generation.
For Lucas Estrada, Ullum Alfa is the largest solar park directly operated by EPSE and a fundamental component of the goal of surpassing 850 MW of photovoltaic generation before the end of the year. This policy of investment through provincial resources not only ensures the continuity of agreements with strategic partners such as IMPSA but also guarantees that San Juan maintains its technological and financial sovereignty within Argentina’s energy market.
