Chilean environmental authorities approved US$3.44bn worth of new power generation projects in July, up 80.4% in investment terms on June approvals.
The increase was skewed due to the approval of Ibereólica's US$3.29bn, 400 MW María Elena concentrated solar power (CSP) project in region II.
In July four projects, with a combined 455 MW installed capacity, were given the go-ahead compared to nine projects, boasting a combined 1.18GW capacity, in June.
Last month E-CL's US$100mn 40MW Águila II PV project in region XV received the green light along with Solarpack's US$24.8mn 9MW Diego De Almagro Solar PV project in region III, and Trans Antartic Energía's US$21.0mn 6.7MW Huenteleufu small hydro in region XIV.
In related news, in July environmental approval was granted to : Geotérmica del Norte's 220kV transmission line for its 50 MW Cerro Pabellón (Apacheta) geothermal project in region II; modifications to the 99MW Tal Tal wind farm in region II; US$1.9mn in works at Transnet's 66kV Angol substation in region IX; and US$4.24mn in upgrades to Empresa Eléctrica de la Frontera's (Frontel) Curanilahue, Lebu and Cañete diesel generation parks in region VIII, nearly doubling combined capacity to 13.9MW with the addition of seven new units.