CGE Distribucion launches energy saving products and services

Chilean energy company CGE Distribucion has launched a new range of energy saving products and services in Chile, including energy saving services for industry, LED lighting and solar energy. LED lighting could be sold into various areas, such as building developments, manufacturing, car parks, traffic lights as well as railway and maritime signalling.

Publication: Esmerk - News monitoring
Provider: Esmerk
December 4, 2009

HydroChile submits EIS for US$80mn hydro project

Chilean renewable power firm HydroChile submitted an EIS for the construction of a US$80mn hydro project in the Diguillín river valley in region VIII, according to documents filed with national environmental regulator Conama.

Pending approval, two run-of-the-river plants would be built 82km east of Chillán to add a total of 24MW of capacity to the central SIC grid.

The first part of the project dubbed Aguas Calientes, Central A, has a planned capacity of 13.5MW. Central B will add 10.5MW of capacity to the grid.

HydroChile expects to have the project operating by third quarter 2013, according to the documents.

Construction could begin in 2010, and HydroChile has held meetings with both local environmental authorities and residents.

The company earlier in the month submitted an EIS for the US$140mn, 50MW Río Puelche hydro project set for region VII.

In 2008, HydroChile submitted environmental studies to develop the 27MW El Paso plant and the 24MW San Andrés projects, both run-of-the-river plants planned for region VI.

The company is planning other projects and aims to inject around 250MW into the SIC by 2012, BNamericas previously reported.

Publication: Business News Americas - English News
Provider: Business News Americas
April 17, 2009

Transelec projects USD 53.2m transmission line in Chile

Chilean power transmission company Transelec SA presented on Friday a USD 53.2 million (EUR 39.5m) project for a new transmission line.

The line will run between Transelec's Nogales and Polpaico substations in the central metropolitan region of Santiago and the neighbouring Valparaiso region. It will be a double-circuit 220 kV line, the idea being to transform it into a simple-circuit 500 kV line in the future.

The project is in line with the company's efforts to meet the growing electricity demand in Chile.

The construction is projected to start in June this year and to be completed in April 2010.

Transelec (www.transelec.cl) owns over 8,000 km of transmission lines throughout the country.

Publication: ADP News
Provider: AII Data Processing Ltd.
January 12, 2009

Eolic Partners Chile projects USD 175m wind park in Coquimbo

Chilean-based wind project developer Eolic Partners Chile SA projects to build a USD 175 million (EUR 125.8m) wind park located 265 km north of the capital city of Santiago.

The wind park is planned to have 38 wind turbines, each of 2 MW, according to the environmental impact declaration for the project, presented to the local authorities on Thursday.

The project, named Gorgonia wind park, will be built in the Punitaqui community in Chile's Coquimbo region and will be connected to the 220 kV line Los Vilos-Pan de Azucar of the central transmission grid SIC.

Eolic Partners Chile is participated by German capitals and is linked to the wind farm developers Eolic Partners of Spain and Ostwind and Aufwind of Germany.

Publication: ADP News
Provider: AII Data Processing Ltd.
December 22, 2008

Transelec acquires massive coverage

Transelec has carried out the biggest coverage operation in its history, one to the tune of US$645mil, the Chile-based electricity transmission group controlled by Canadian capital turning to a consortium formed by Deutsche Bank, HSBC and JP Morgan. Transelec's vice-presidente de finanzas, Marcelo de Petris adds that the sum is the largest ever committed in an operation of this kind in Chile and that the idea is to protect shareholders such as Brookfield Asset Management from stock-market volatility. This coverage operation serves to set the exchange rate at the levels of mid-2006, Peso$530 per US$1.

Publication: SABI - Business News
Provider: South American Business Information
Date: September 30, 2008

Brazil MPX Energia Expands Castilla TPP Project in Chile

Brazilian energy firm MPX Energia expanded its project for the construction of the Castilla coal-fired thermoelectric power plant (TPP) in Chile to 2,100 MW, the director of MPX in Chile, Luis Hormazabal, said, as reported on September 7, 2008.

Thus, the total investment in Castilla would reach $4.5 bln (3.109 bln euro).

Initially, the project contemplated the installation of an installed capacity of 1,400 MW in Punta Cachos, northern Atacama region, with the first generators due to kick off in 2012.

With the expansion, Castilla will be developed in three stages of 700 MW over the next 10 years.

This is the second largest electricity project in Chile after the 2,750 MW hydroelectric project HidroAysen of the local power producers Endesa Chile and Colbun.

Publication: Business Digest
Provider: AII Data Processing Ltd.
Date: September 8, 2008

Mainstream Renewable Power gets investment

Dublin-based Mainstream Renewable Power has received a boost from news that Barclays Capital is to invest Euro 20m in the venture. Airtricity founder Eddie OConnor is trying to raise Euro 200m to make the company one of the big players in the renewable energy industry. Our plan is to go to investors with a series of commercial opportunities later this year and to raise enough equity to develop them. Funds from the sale of equity will go towards procuring wind turbines, the company said. Mainstream launched just six months ago and has already signed a deal to provide up to 240MW of wind energy in Chile.

Publication: Euclid Infotech - Utilities News
Provider: Euclid Infotech
Date: August 14, 2008

Petrobras buys ExxonMobils gas stations in Chile

Brazilian state oil company Petrobras has signed an agreement to acquire ExxonMobils fuel distribution network in Chile for USD 400 million. Petrobras director of international business, Jorge Luiz Zelada announced that the deal was finalized. The transference of control over that network is scheduled to occur in the second quarter of 2009, when payment is made.

The Brazilian firm is acquiring contracts with 230 gas stations, 109 of them directly owned by Exxons Esso Chile Petrolera, and the concessions to supply fuel to 11 airports. Also part of the package are six large fuel-distribution terminals, two of which are joint ventures. Petrobras stated in a press release that Exxon Mobils chemical, lubricant and specialties businesses are not part of the agreement. The acquisition will give Petrobras a firm foothold in Chiles fuel-distribution market, with a market share of 16 percent and 14 percent in the retail and industrial segments, respectively.

Publication: Euclid Infotech - Utilities News
Provider: Euclid Infotech
Date: August 9, 2008

Endesa Chile H1 profit doubles to US$266mn

Chilean generator Endesa Chile doubled its January-June net profit to 135bn pesos (US$266mn) compared to the 67.7bn pesos posted in 1H07, the company said in a statement.

The increase was attributed to a 3.6% rise in operating profits and a 56.3% increase in non-operating results because of improvements related to the company's activities in Brazil and GasAtacama holdings in Chile.

Revenues rose 25% to 1.08tn pesos compared to the 860bn pesos posted in 1H07. The increase was attributed to increased revenues from power sales in Chile, Colombia and Argentina. While physical power sales rose in Peru, revenues were negatively affected by lower average prices.

Ebitda for the first six months of the year rose 3.5% to 420bn pesos. Some 51% of company Ebitda for the period resulted from its activities in Chile and 30.7% from operations in Colombia. Peru accounted for 10% and Argentina followed with 8.3%.

Endesa Chile sold a total of 27.0TWh in the first half of the year, down 0.7% from the same period of 2007. The decrease was attributed to a to a conservation campaign launched in Chile, according to the statement.

Physical power sales in Argentina dropped 10% because of increased hydrology but increased 9% in Colombia and 6% in Peru.

Endesa generated 24.7TWh in the period, down 2.2% from 25.2TWh in 1H07. The decrease resulted from drier hydro conditions across the region compared to the same half of 2008.

Endesa Chile is controlled by Spain's Endesa through its Enersis subsidiary.

Publication: Business News Americas - English News
Provider: Business News Americas
Date: July 31, 2008

AES Gener ups Angamos power supply deal with miner

Chilean generator AES Gener's EEA subsidiary, which is developing the 460MW Angamos coal-fired thermo plant, has modified its power supply deal with copper miner Minera Escondida, AES Gener told financial regulator SVS.

AES Gener has contracted 430MW of capacity from the plant to Minera Escondida and subsidiaries of the miner's operator BHP Billiton (NYSE: BHP), according to the statement.

The Angamos plant now will supply 340MW of capacity to Escondida, up from the 220MW contracted in March 2008.

In addition, AES Gener's Norgener subsidiary could transfer a 62MW power supply contract with Escondida to EEA, the generator said.

Publication: Business News Americas - English News
Provider: Business News Americas
Date: July 7, 2008

Enersis to invest US$10bn through 2012

Chilean energy holding company Enersis (NYSE: ENI) plans to invest US$10bn from 2008-12 in the five countries in Latin America where it has operations, the company said in a statement.

Enersis will invest US$5.6bn to generate 2.32GW of new capacity of which 1.63GW will be constructed in Chile. The remaining US$4.4bn will go to improve the company's distribution businesses.

"It's one of the most ambitious investment plans we have presented in the last few years," Enersis president Pablo Yrarrázaval said in the statement.

In addition to Chile, Enersis operates in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Peru.

Enersis controls Chilean generator Endesa Chile. The holding company is in turn controlled by Spanish power company Endesa.

Publication: Business News Americas - English News
Provider: Business News Americas
Date: April 3, 2008

Transelec to invest US$1.1bil before 2013

Transelec of Chile has announced investment of US$1.1bil up to 2012. The firm, controlled by Canada's Brookfield Asset Management, will split this five-year plan as follows, according to general director Andres Kuhlmann: US$500mil in trunk systems, US$240mil in sub-transmission and US$360mil in other systems such as energy injections for big (mining or electricity-generating) companies (Transelec already does business with Endesa, AES Gener and Carmen de Andacollo among others).

Publication: SABI - Business News
Provider: South American Business Information
Date: March 12, 2008

AES Gener to modify Alto Maipo hydro project

Chilean generator AES Gener will modify its USD 600 million Alto Maipo hydro project as a result of consultations with local residents. The project entails the construction of two run-of-river plants including Alfalfal II in the Colorado sub-basin downstream from the existing Alfalfal I plant and Las Lejas plant near the confluence of the Maipo river and El Manzano marsh. The two plants will add 530MW of capacity to Chiles central SIC grid.

The changes will improve the environmental conditions of the project. The proposed solutions are technologically possible but will require more complicated engineering. All of the works previously planned for El Manzano zone will be relocated and moved 15km upstream. Works planned for the area include the machine house for Las Lajas plant. The two plants will be remotely run from an existing control center the company has for its Alfalfal 1 and Maitenes plants.

The construction of new roads into the mountain will be minimized and the new plans will use more tunneling machines. More than 95% of the works for the plants will be underground.

Publication: Euclid Infotech - Utilities News
Provider: Euclid Infotech
Date: February 5, 2008

Chile: Suez, GNL Mejillones ink supply deal

The GNL Mejillones JV formed by Chiles state copper company Codelco and multinational energy company Suez Energy International (SEI) has signed an LNG supply contract with Suez for the LNG plant being built in Mejillones port. According to the deal, Suez will supply the JV with enough LNG to generate 400MW of thermo capacity from 2010-12. GNL Mejillones is investing nearly US$500mn in the project that will give Chiles northern grid (SING) greater security in the wake of natural gas restrictions from Argentina. The plant, fast-tracked for completion by the end of 2009, will use a temporary regasification tanker and initially will be able to degasify 5.5Mm3/d of natural gas. Three-year contracts have already been signed with miners Codelco, Escondida, Collahuasi and El Abra to supply gas to power 450MW of capacity.

Publication: Euclid Infotech - Utilities News
Provider: Euclid Infotech
Date: January 25, 2008

Chile Enersis Eyes Additional 1,096 MW Capacity in Chile in 2010

Chilean largest electricity utility Enersis develops electricity projects with 1,096 MW installed capacity in Chile, planning to complete them by the end of 2010.

The ongoing projects will demand investments of nearly $1.0 bln (675.9 mln euro).

The said projects include San Isidro II that will have a total capacity of 377 MW by July 2009, whose investment is estimated at $229 mln (154.8 mln euro).

Furthermore, Enersis will soon complete a small 9.0 MW electricity plant, called Ojos de Agua, worth $20 mln (13.5 mln euro).

The other projects include the coal-fired expansion Bocamina II of the Bocamina thermoelectric plant in Biobio, worth $620 mln (419.1 mln euro), and the 240 MW Quintero thermal plant. The two projects are planned for 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Enersis also participates in the construction of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) port terminal in Quintero, which will start operations in the second half of 2009. Its estimated capacity stands at 9.0 million cu m.

Enersis controls the biggest electricity distributor on the local market Chilectra and the utility Endesa Chile.

Publication: Business Digest
Provider: AII Data Processing Ltd.
Date: January 17, 2008

Chile: HidroAysen issues CSR Data on studies for five plants in Chile

The HidroAysen venture issued the data on its corporate and social responsibility (CSR) studies for its proposed five hydropower projects in Chile that would have combined installed capacity of 2,750MW. More than USD 6 Million was spend on the CSR studies by HidroAysen, which is a joint venture of two leading energy companies in the country – Endesa Chile (51%) and Colbun (49%).

The studies were undertaken over 2006-7 and approximately 187,000 hours of work were investigated in the research undertaken by 370 specialists to investigate socio-environmental and economic issues. Public review of the information, data and methodology will be possible at a series of centres already set up for public consultation on the scheme.

HidroAysen hopes to commence the procurement process from 2009 and construction is targeted to be completed eight years later. The overall scheme consists of five plants on two rivers two on the Baker river and three on the Pascua river with annual average electricity production of 18,430GWh. All five schemes would require reservoirs to be built.

Publication: Euclid Infotech - Utilities News
Provider: Euclid Infotech
Date: January 17, 2008

Hornitos, Quilleco hydro projects file for CDM registration

Two hydro projects being developed in Chile have filed Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) registration requests with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), according to documents posted on the agency's website.

Chilean hydro generator Hidroeléctrica Guardia Vieja (HGV) submitted a CDM registration request for the 55MW run-of-the-river plant being developed in central region V on the Aconcagua river.

The US$62.8mn plant will reduce CO2 emissions by 110,160t/y, according to the documents.

Chilean generator Colbún, meanwhile, submitted a CDM registration request for the 70MW Quilleco plant being developed in central-southern region VIII.

The US$79.6mn plant will reduce CO2 emissions 172,176t/y.

Publication: Business News Americas - English News
Provider: Business News Americas
Date: January 11, 2008