Power company AES Gener has submitted an environmental impact study (EIS) for the 530-MW Alto Maipo hydroelectric project in Chile’s Maipo River Basin.
Chile’s official gazette said AES Gener submitted the EIS to national environmental commission Conama, Business News Americas reported. AES Gener officials previously said they hope the US$600 million project can begin operation between 2012 and 2013. (HNN 4/23/07)
AES Gener, a subsidiary of AES Corp. of the United States, is developing Alto Maipo with water utility Aguas Andinas. To be built in Chile’s Metropolitan Region, Alto Maipo is to include two run-of-river plants, Alfalfal 2 in the Colorado River subbasin downstream from Alfalfal 1, and Las Lejas near the confluence of the Maipo River and El Manzano marsh.
AES Gener plans to register Alto Maipo under the United Nations-backed Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), allowing it to generate and sell carbon emissions reduction credits.
Environmental documents filed for 21.6-MW El Toyo 1
Another Maipo River project, 21.6-MW El Toyo 1, also has been submitted to environmental regulators, the gazette said. BNamericas reported the EIS filing was made to environmental authority Corema on behalf of Pedro Guillon Cuevas by Chilean consultant Sustenable.
The US$36 million El Toyo 1 is to be built on the south bank of the Maipo River south of San Jose de Maipo. It is to utilize two turbine-generators to supply Chile’s central grid.
The project is to require rights to 50 cubic meters per second of water, a request to be considered by a water control board upon approval of the EIS.
Chile’s Colbun to refile EIS for 140-MW San Pedro
Chilean utility Colbun S.A. withdrew from consideration its EIS for the 140-MW San Pedro. The utility filed with Conama in April, but pulled the document due to questions from area residents and Chile’s water control board. (HNN 4/24/07)
Conama said Colbun plans to file a revised EIS in three weeks containing additional information about some aspects of the project.
The US$180 million project is to be built on the San Pedro River in Valdivia Province of Chile’s Region X. The generator hopes to bring the plant on line by 2010.
Colbun proposes building a dam to create a 284-hectare reservoir holding 30 million cubic meters of water. The application said no agricultural lands would be flooded.
