Pattern Energy Group LP (Pattern Development) announced its 122MW Conejo Solar PV power project was awarded the Renewables Collaboration of the Year by the Chile International Renewable Energy Congress (CIREC). The award recognizes Conejo Solar as an innovative industry collaboration that will have a positive impact on development of the renewable industry in Chile.

The Conejo Solar PV power project is being constructed approximately 30 kilometers east of Taltal in Chile's Atacama Desert. Construction of the project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2016.

"Conejo Solar is our first foray into solar development in Chile and we are honored that it has been recognized for the positive impact it will have on the country," said Mike Garland, President and CEO of Pattern Development. "The Chilean market provides opportune conditions for partnerships between mining companies and renewable energy developers. The Conejo project demonstrates that a global mining company such as Antofagasta Minerals S.A. (AMSA) and a global leading renewable energy developer can successfully work together and forge a path to a new energy future. We previously developed El Arrayán Wind, the largest wind power facility in Chile, and together with Conejo Solar, one of the largest solar projects in Latin America, it provides us with a strong platform for future growth in the country."

Conejo Solar has a 22-year power purchase agreement with Minera Los Pelambres, an affiliate of Antofagasta Minerals, for approximately 65% of the project's output over the term of the agreement. The project will connect to the Sistema Interconectado Central (SIC) transmission system and is located on public lands owned by the government of Chile, under a long-term concession.