Chile watch: Renewable project updates, Bachelet addresses nation

​Authorities in northern Chile's Atacama region (III) are scheduled to review on Wednesday an environmental impact assessment for the US$158mn Andino solar photovoltaic plant.

The approximately 90MW project is planned by HydroChile, developer of the 60MW El Paso and 40MW San Andrés run-of-the-river hydroelectric plants in central O'Higgins region (VI).

Environmental evaluation service SEA this month has approved a US$35mn project to expand by 20MW capacity at the Chaka solar PV plant in Atacama region and has given the green light to the US$800mn Camarones solar thermal plant, the US$50mn Fotovoltaíca Los Andes solar PV plant and a US$4.75mn project to optimize the Río Colorado hydropower plant.

New projects submitted for approval in recent days include Gas NaturalFenosa's US$400mn Tierra Noble combined-cycle gas turbine plant, Enel Green Power's US$117mn Las Viñas wind farm, and a US$4mn natural gas distribution pipeline that will supply the Alma observatory in Atacama region.

Also from Chile, President Michelle Bachelet said in her annual state of the nation address that non-conventional renewable energy – including wind, solar, hydropower under 20MW, biomass and geothermal – is expected to account for one-fourth of Chile's installed capacity by 2018.

Citing the strategic importance of a transmission project underway to connect the country's two main power grids, Bachelet said Chile currently has 4.1GW of generation capacity and 700km of transmission lines currently under construction.

​

​