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Project in Brief 

ENERGÍA AUSTRAL THREE POWER PLANTS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Total estimated investment (Generation and Transmission): US$ 3077 millions

Total installed capacity: 1,069 MW (8.4% of SIC)

  • Cuervo plant: 640 MW
  • Blanco plant: 375 MW
  • Cóndor plant: 54 MW

Total area studied for preparation of EISs: 157,000 ha

  • Cuervo project: 90,000 ha
  • Cuervo project: 90,000 ha
  • Cóndor project: 27,000 ha

Total area flooded: 10,036 ha

  • Cuervo project: 5,863 ha
  • Blanco Project: 3,823 ha
  • Cóndor Project: 350 ha

Indigenous peoples: There are no indigenous settlements on the sites of the three plants.

Water rights: Energía Austral has 100% of the water rights required for the three projects.

Protected areas: Construction of Energía Austral will not affect National Parks or government-declared Protected Areas.

Pollutant Reduction: Energía Austral will replace energy sources that represent annual emissions of 3 million tonnes of C02.

Transmission line: Approximately 800 km

Transmission technology: Alternating current collector system, line from transformer station to direct current-direct current point of connection.

Countries’ capacity to generate energy for their people and businesses is key for their development. Today, Chile’s main option for producing clean energy from domestic sources and in large volumes is hydroelectricity.

In line with this, Energía Austral is working to develop three hydroelectric projects - Cuervo, Blanco and Cóndor - and a transmission line to transport the energy they produce to the Central Interconnected Grid (SIC). In this way, it seeks to help satisfy demand for clean and renewable energy in the country and the Aysén Region while, at the same time, reducing dependence on international fuel markets. 

The Cuervo project is located some 45 km northeast of Puerto Aysén at the source of the Cuervo River in the area where the Yulton and Meullín Lakes are also located. It will have an estimated installed capacity of 640 MW.

The Blanco Project will be located in the Aysén municipal district, some 30 km southeast of the town of Puerto Aysén, and will have an installed capacity of 375 MW. This project includes the 360 MW Blanco plant and the 15 MW Blanquito run-of-the-river plant at the base of the dam.

The third project, Cóndor, will be located 15 km southwest of the town of Puerto Chacabuco in the Aysén Region and will have an installed capacity of 54 MW.

When in full operation, Energía Austral will have a total generating capacity of just over 1,000 MW, equivalent to 8.4% of the SIC’s present installed capacity and representing an important contribution to Chile’s development. It will, in addition, replace sources that today represent annual emissions of some 3 million tonnes of C02.

Energía Austral is governed by Xstrata Copper’s Sustainable Development Policies.  In the design, construction and operation of its projects, it is, therefore, fully committed to compliance with the highest international environmental management, social and safety and health standards as well as the legislation in force in Chile. Further information about Xstrata Copper’s Sustainable Development Policies can be found here.

Similarly, Energía Austral has also adopted the guidelines of the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which guarantee excellence as regards sustainability.