AES Andes obtains unanimous environmental approval for coal-fired thermoelectric plant conversion project

PRESS RELEASE from AES Andes

November 29, 2023

This is a machine translation of the original release, issued in Spanish

Alba, the AES Andes project that would allow the use of coal to be completely eliminated, converting the Angamos Power Plant located in Mejillones, into a large renewable energy storage and generation system using solar salts, today obtained its environmental approval from the Environmental Assessment Commission of Antofagasta, by unanimous vote.

The project under study would use solar salts, which would be heated with electrical energy from renewable sources. They would be stored for later use in the generation of electrical energy, reaching a power of 560 MW with both units in operation.

This is the first project in the world that plans to use solar salts to convert a coal plant, without greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Javier Dib, CEO of AES Andes, assured that “we are very happy with obtaining environmental approval from Alba. “It is an important step to incorporate new storage development options into our portfolio and continue advancing in our transformation.”

It should be noted that Alba seeks to use a large part of the infrastructure and the same power line of Central Angamos, so it does not imply major modifications to the existing facilities.

After obtaining environmental approval, the company will evaluate the next steps to follow, in order to continue with the consolidation of its transformational Greentegra strategy and advance in the renewable reconversion of its portfolio.

About AES Andes

AES Andes generates and sells energy in Chile, Colombia and Argentina. The company operates 5,636 MW in South America along with a broad portfolio of renewable energy projects in development. The company is one of the main generating firms in the region, with a diversified portfolio that includes hydroelectric, wind, solar, energy storage, biomass, natural gas and coal plants.

In Chile, AES Andes and its subsidiaries own and operate 3,864 MW, composed of 2,129 MW thermoelectric, 771 MW hydroelectric, 348 MW wind, 429 MW solar photovoltaic, 13 MW of biomass and 174 MW of battery energy storage systems, in addition of seawater desalination plants and transmission lines.