Driving north for three and a half hours from Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, at the end of the vast Pampas grassland, a silver gray transmission tower extends along the horizon towards the town of Chamberlain. Under the scorching sun in Tacualombo Province, the Chamberlain Substation, built by a Chinese company, stands quietly. With the first set of transformers emitting a low and stable buzzing sound, the current flows into the Uruguayan National Grid through a brand new busbar. On June 24, 2026 local time, this 500 kV hub substation was officially put into operation. The Chinese engineers on site and the technical personnel of Uruguay's national power company smiled at each other, knowing that the completion of this node means that Uruguay's long-awaited national power grid has finally joined a crucial piece.

A new energy landmark on the grassland

The Chamberlain Substation is located in Chamberlain Town, Tacualombo Province, central Uruguay. It is an important node project of Uruguay's 500 kV transmission and transformation ring network project. The ring network project spans 5 provinces and includes the construction of a new 500 kV substation, the expansion of a 500 kV substation, and the construction of approximately 355 kilometers of 500 kV single circuit lines. The overall project is expected to be fully completed by September 2026. The core equipment of the substation adopts advanced transformers and switch devices from China, reflecting the mature application of Chinese power equipment in South America.

Say goodbye to the hidden dangers of power outages and protect the ring network

Uruguay experienced a nationwide power outage in 2019, exposing the weakness of the existing radial power grid lacking redundant protection. After the power ring network is closed, even if a node fails, electrical energy can be transmitted through other paths in the ring network, greatly reducing the risk of network paralysis. Hern á n Mespolet, the technical director of Uruguay's national power company, introduced that the project will promote the formation of a complete 500 kV ring network in Uruguay, enhance the renewable energy transmission capacity of wind power, hydropower and other renewable energy already put into operation in the central and northern regions, and lay the foundation for cross-border power interconnection with Argentina and Brazil in the future.keywords:Engineering infrastructure，Foreign construction news network

Illuminate the Green Future of Northern South America

Chinese engineers have stated that the operation of the ring network will significantly improve the reliability of Uruguay's power system, reduce technical losses in long-distance transmission, and better match the continuously growing social demand for electricity. By September of this year, Uruguay is expected to not only export its surplus clean electricity to neighboring countries, but also enhance its position in the South American energy landscape through regional power grid interconnection. For Chamberlain Town, this modern power station built with the participation of Chinese companies has become the most technologically advanced scenic spot on the grassland, and has also created a large number of operation and maintenance positions and technical training opportunities for the local area.Editor/Yang Meiling