- green-spots
- energy
- Chile
- Chacayes Hydroelectric Project, Chile
Problems
Chile is a country that faces many challenges in its energy sector. The country depends heavily on imported fossil fuels, which are subject to price volatility and supply disruptions. Moreover, the country’s electricity demand is growing rapidly, driven by its economic development and its large copper-mining industry. Chile also suffers from frequent droughts, which affect its hydroelectric generation capacity and increase the risk of wildfires that can damage its transmission and distribution infrastructure. These factors have resulted in high electricity prices, power shortages, and environmental impacts for Chile and its people.
Solutions
Chacayes Hydroelectric Project, Chile
Author: United Nations
The Chacayes Hydroelectric Project is a 111 MW power plant located in the Cachapoal Valley of Chile. Operating since 2011, it has played an important role in meeting the country’s increasing demand for electricity, reducing CO2 emissions, and contributing to the economic growth and sustainable development of local communities. Due to the wide variety of measures undertaken and the innovative environmental initiatives implemented during construction of the Chacayes plant to minimize environmental impacts, Chacayes received, among others, the “Hydro Project of the Year Award” by the organizers of the POWER-GEN International and Renewable Energy World North America events, and the “Environmental Initiative of the Year” Award at the International Tunnelling Awards 2011 in Hong Kong, hosted by the UK’s New Civil Engineer and Ground Engineering magazines. Pacific Hydro´s corporate community plan engages with localities during the construction and operation of hydropower stations in the region. Local communities also benefit from our sustainable communities fund, “Creciendo Juntos” (Growing Together), which aims to improve the quality of life of the population. Since its creation, Creciendo Juntos has delivered more than 1 million dollars to the communities of the Alto Cachapoal Valley. Environmental impacts and benefits The project will assist in increasing energy security in Chile by reducing Chile’s dependence on imported fossil fuels. The proposed project activity will result in a reduction in airborne pollutants, such as oxides of nitrogen, oxides of sulfur, carbon monoxide, and particulates, by reducing the combustion of fossil fuels. Social Social impacts and benefits The Project contributes to the social welfare of Chile’s 6th Region, where local employment opportunities are limited and infrastructure is poor. This project will, therefore, provide additional renewable energy capacity to the grid. PHCSA has created a community fund called “Creciendo Juntos” (“Growing Together”) to sponsor projects within the locality of the project, including projects in education, health, and projects aimed at improving the welfare of the local community. Economic Impacts and benefits PHCSA has taken significant steps to assist local and regional inhabitants in obtaining direct employment through the provision of training courses and imposing conditions on the EPC contractor in regard to giving preference to hiring local staff. The electricity to be generated by the proposed project activity will reduce the carbon intensity of the SEN grid by reducing the emission of greenhouse gases on a per MWh basis across the entire system. As part of the proposed project activity, new access roads will be built, and improvements to existing roads, such as the widening of a bridge, will be included. These roads will improve access to the remote region where the proposed project activity is located. Hydro projects generate electricity from flowing water. They reduce the need to burn fossil fuels to generate power. Project benefits: preserving natural resources, promoting renewable energy generation, reducing dependency on non-renewable resources, helping spread green technology worldwide, and improving health.
Source: https://offset.climateneutralnow.org/chacayes-hydroelectric-project-chile-6848-
Gallery
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Timelines
2012
The project was approved by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to issue and trade in carbon credits under the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Renewable energy generation at Chacayes will abate 357,000 tonnes of greenhouse has pollution every year — the equivalent of taking more than 155,000 vehicles off the road.
2011
Chacayes Hydroelectric Project was launched. It is a large-scale, run-of-river hydroelectric power scheme developed in the Alto Cachapoal Valley of the Andes Mountains, around 80 km south of Santiago. The project utilizes the hydrologic resources of the Cachapoal and Cipreses Rivers to generate power from two 56.5 MW turbines. Chacayes was the first in a series of five run-of-river hydroelectric projects developed in Chile that added more than 600 MW of renewable energy capacity to Chile’s national grid.
2009
Astaldi agreed to take a 27.3% share in the project, which meant the company would help finance the development and be responsible for delivering the project under an engineering, procurement, and construction contract agreement.
2007
Pacific Hydro began qualifying builders for the Chacayes project. The company awarded a US$282 million contract to Italy’s Astaldi Group in September 2008, and former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet joined Pacific Hydro to lay the first stone at Chacayes, on the Cachapoal River, in the same year.