Chilean hydropower project seeks environmental approval
The documents are being evaluated by Chile's national environmental regulator Conama, and are expected to be approved in the first quarter of 2010.
The power plant, dubbed "El Hierro," will be connected to Chile's central SIC grid and produce 110 gigawatts per hour yearly. The project will be on an existing irrigation canal in the Melado River basin, and will have a useful life of 60 years.
Besalco Construcciones will launch a bidding process during the first part of 2010. Construction will start in mid-2010, and is expected to last about two years.
Chile is rich in natural resources and expects to double its renewable capacity through 2010. The country's interest in harnessing renewable energy has grown significantly in the last few years. As an example, the HydroAysen project proposes the construction of five hydropower plants in the Baker and Pascua River, located in the XI Region of the country, which will have a capacity of 2,750 MW. The project will be fully operational by 2022.
The government of Chile recently set aside $500 million to promote non-conventional renewable energy capacity, with direct subsidies and tax incentives. Currently, 22% of new power projects under environmental analysis in Chile come from renewable sources.
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The Siwash Creek project was originally conceived as a two-megawatt power plant by the original proponent Chad Peterson, who holds a 50-per-cent stake through Green Valley Power, with the Kanaka Bar Indian Band holding the other half.
The partners were asked by B.C. Hydro to trim the capacity back to one megawatt, but by the time the Crown corporation announced its approval, it agreed to only half that — 500 kilowatts — under its Standing Order clean-energy program.
“Hydro wanted…
