E-CL, in which GDF SUEZ-International Power owns a 52.77% stake, plans to invest $170m over the next three years in the renovation of coal-fired units at power plants Mejillones (319 MW of coal-fired capacity and 243 MW of diesel-fired) and Tocopilla (411 MW coal-fired and 552 MW of gas or oil-fired capacity). The retrofit process aims to reduce level of particles, SO2 and NOx emissions, to comply with emission standards.
E-CL also aims to develop renewable projects, such as a 2 MW solar PV project (El Aguila) or a 210-230 MW wind project (Calama, of which 120 MW have already been approved).
The group has submitted to the Ministry of the Environment its Calama wind farm project. The total project consists of the construction, installation and operation of three wind farms located 20 kilometres south-east of Calama. The first received its environmental approval in January 2012 and will have an installed capacity of 126.5 MW. The second was submitted to the environmental Assessment System (EAS) in June 2012 and consists of 36 wind generators with a maximum capacity of 108 MW. Finally, the third project was entered for its EAS qualification last week and involves a farm of 25 wind generators with an installed capacity of up to 75 MW. The three farms will be connected to the SING over a 26.5 kilometres 110 kV transmission line, linking with the Moctezuma, Topater and Calama substations.