Apr generation up 1.5% year-on-year

Chilean power generation in April rose 1.5% year-on-year to 4,112GWh, according to information from national statistics institute INE. Accumulated generation in the first four months of the year reached 16,584GWh. Generation in the SIC grid, which covers the heavily populated central region of the country, totaled 2,899GWh during the month, or 70.5% of total power generation. Generators in the SING grid serving the mining-intensive northern part of the country produced 964GWh, or 23.5% of the total. Thermoelectric plants produced 1,908GWh in April, up 40.9% from the same month a year ago. However, combined-cycle plants generated 732GWh, or 24% less than in April 2004, as a result of Argentina's gas crisis. Hydroelectric plants produced 1,472GWh during the month, down 15.3% from the same month a year ago. Of the total power generated in March, hydroelectric plants supplied 35.8%, thermo plants 46.4% and combined cycle plants 17.8%, INE said. Chile's generation system has been hit in the past few months by severe cuts in natural gas imports from Argentina. Generators and industrial gas users have had to scramble for alternative - and more expensive - fuels such as diesel. DISTRIBUTION Power sales increased 6.5% in April compared to the same month in 2004, up 2% from March this year, INE said, without giving figures. The mining sector used 31.7% of the electricity, the industrial sector 29.7% and the residential sector 15.9%.