Endesa shuts down San Isidro on gas supply restrictions

Chilean generator Endesa (NYSE: EOC) has shut down its 370MW San Isidro thermoelectric plant in Region V because Spain's Repsol YPF cut 1.8 million cubic meters a day (Mm3/d) of natural gas supplies, an Endesa spokesperson told BNamericas, confirming local press reports. The plant was shut down February 18 and remained out of operation late Monday, newspaper La Segunda reported. San Isidro "continues to be without [natural gas] supplies. Repsol YPF has cancelled shipments until further notice," the spokesperson said. "There is no estimate about when San Isidro could return into service operating with natural gas," La Segunda quoted the central grid operator CDEC-SIC's operations deputy director Andrés Salgado as saying. Repsol YPF cut Endesa's gas supply after being ordered by Argentina's government to re-direct gas produced from the Neuquén basin to the local market. Endesa is in talks with Repsol YPF to restore gas supplies as soon as possible, papers reported. San Isidro supplies 8,400MWh a day to the SIC central grid system in Chile, representing 7.6% of total demand. The start up of Endesa's 690MW Ralco hydro plant last September helped diversify the company's energy matrix making it less dependent on Argentine gas imports.