Supporting clean energy production in Peru

Huanza Hydropower Plant

Peruvian mining company Buenaventura needed to increase the reliability of electric power for their operations. They also wanted to increase the available clean electricity supply for Peru—particularly in the south—by harnessing renewable hydropower and leveraging existing water conveyance infrastructure. They selected the Pallca River Basin in Santa Eulalia, approximately 130 kilometres (81 miles) east of the capital city of Lima for the site of the Huanza Hydropower Plant.

Buenaventura engaged our team to provide design, technical specifications and drawings, bid documents, quality assurance during construction, and supervision through commissioning for this project. Key components of this project included a regulation dam and intake on the Pallaca River, a nearly 10-kilometre (6.2-mile) headrace tunnel, a 2.3-kilometre (1.4-mile) steel penstock to control and direct the flow of water, a surface powerhouse with Pelton units, and grid interconnection at 220 kilovolts. Additionally, a low diversion dam captures flow from the Conay River, which is then conveyed through a PVC pipeline and discharged into the hydropower plant surge chamber.

With an installed capacity of 90.6-megawatts, the plant delivers safe, efficient generation in extremely steep, high‑altitude terrain. It also integrates multiple water sources into a high‑head, run‑of‑river facility with daily regulation that doesn’t compromise performance or environmental outcomes.