Energy Minister promotes portfolio of investments in electric power transmission lines for more than US$400 million
This morning, Energy Minister Susana Jiménez kicked off the international roadshow, the aim of which is to attract new investors into the country as part of the 2019 tenders for projects within the scope of the Chilean Electric Power Transmission Expansion Plan
These processes aim to award the rights of execution and exploitation of New Works and the construction and execution of Expansion Works, with 56 projects in total, and with a referential investment value of US$409 million.
During this activity, Minister Jiménez was joined by the President of the Board of Directors of the National Electric Power Coordinator, Juan Carlos Olmedo; the CEO of InvestChile, Cristián Rodríguez; and the Executive Secretary of the National Energy Commission (CNE), José Venegas.
According to the Energy Minister, the country's economic recovery during 2018 has been strongly driven by investment, which has risen after four years of sustained decline.
"The energy sector has played a fundamental role in this recovery, attracting investment of around US$3.124 billion, representing the third biggest economic sector in terms of investment. Today we have 30 power generation plants under construction, equivalent to almost 1,900 MW of power. It is essential that the electric power transmission system accompanies this development, for which we already have 1,351 km of power lines under construction, representing a total investment of approximately US$1.7 billion once they are completed. As these numbers clearly reflect, the Chilean energy sector is nowadays a dynamic and competitive sector, where the investment engine is completely private," said Energy Minister Susana Jiménez.
For his part, Juan Carlos Olmedo stated that "the strengthening of electric power transmission in Chile not only offers a very good opportunity for national or foreign investors, but it will also help to reduce power supply interruptions across the country and, therefore, improve the quality of life for millions of families."
According to the National Electric Power Coordinator’s president, "Our agency was responsible for the first tenders for Works in the Zonal Transmission Systems as of
2017, both for new and expansion works, corresponding to 98 tendered projects with a referential investment value of US$768 million. Furthermore, for the five-year period between 2020 and 2024, more than 266 projects are expected to be developed, reaching an estimated total reference value of US$3.105 billion," said Olmedo.
2019 Tenders
Three tenders will take place during 2019, including eight New Works, 30 Expansion Works and six groups of Conditional Works.
New Works will comprise eight projects, with a referential investment value of US$233 million.
Expansion Works will comprise 30 projects, with a referential investment value of US$88 million.
Conditional Works will comprise six groups of projects, with a referential investment value of US$87 million.