Convento Viejo dam concession launch by early 2004

Chile's public works ministry expects bidding for the US$100mn Convento Viejo dam concession to begin by end-December or early next year, public works under-secretary Clemente Perez announced Thursday. President Ricardo Lagos has ordered the ministry to expedite the bidding rules' approval, said Perez, adding the project would increase the dam's capacity to 257M cu. m. from 27M cu. m. In August, the ministry submitted the project's EIS to national environment authority Conama, which has yet to approve or reject it. The 32m-high dam would be built 15km south of Chimbarongo, on the river of the same name in Region VI. The reservoir would irrigate some 30,000ha, and has tourism and power-generation potential. Construction would include some 300km of irrigation network. The dam is part of the ministry's US$1.93bn, 2003-2004 concessions portfolio.