
Chile's environmental approvals and submissions drop in January
A total of 20 projects involving investments of US$1.49bn obtained environmental approval in Chile during January, a drop compared with December.
In December last year, there were 27 initiatives approved entailing combined investments of US$3.25bn, mainly due to a drop in mining investments.
The figures were also lower than in January 2024, when 29 initiatives were approved for a total of US$1.62bn, according to the monthly report from environmental evaluation agency SEA.
Dec 2024 | Jan 2025 | Variation | ||||
Sector | Approvals | Investment | Approvals | Investment | Approvals | Investment |
Agriculture | 1 | US$6.2mn | 0 | 0 | -1 | -US$6.2mn |
Energy | 8 | US$384mn | 11 | US$1.09bn | +3 | +US$708mn |
Equipment | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Forestry | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Transport Infrastructure | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Water infrastructure | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Port Infrastructure | 1 | US$2.5mn | 0 | 0 | -1 | -US$2.5mn |
Real estate | 10 | US$253mn | 5 | US$294mn | -5 | +US$41.3mn |
Factory facilities | 1 | US$2.8mn | 0 | 0 | -1 | -US$2.8mn |
Mining | 3 | US$2.37bn | 2 | US$4.55mn | -1 | -US$2.37bn |
Fishing and aquaculture | 0 | 0 | 1 | US$2.2mn | +1 | +US$2.2mn |
Environmental cleanup | 1 | US$5.82mn | 0 | -1 | -US$5.82mn | |
Others | 2 | US$322mn | 1 | US$100mn | -1 | -US$222mn |
Total | 27 | US$3.35bn | 20 | US$1.49bn | -7 | -US$1.86bn |
The biggest projects approved in January this year were:
– Electrification of mining trucks at Escondida Norte (US$250mn);
– Zaldivar solar power plant (US$238mn);
– Vernazza solar power plant (US$285mn);
– Algarrobal solar power plant (US$220mn).
In terms of submissions, 60 projects were presented for review last month, down from 68 in December. The total associated investments, meanwhile, fell to US$4.64bn from US$20.2bn, as the last month of 2024 featured massive projects such as AES Andes' US$10bn INNA green hydrogen initiative.
In January 2024, there were 53 projects submitted involving investments of US$5.74bn.
Dec 2024 | Jan 2025 | Variation | ||||
Sector | Submitted | Investment | Submitted | Investment | Submitted | Investment |
Agriculture | 1 | US$11.2mn | 1 | US$6.663mn | 0 | -US$4.57mn |
Energy | 26 | US$5.41bn | 22 | US$2.81bn | -4 | -US$2.60bn |
Equipment | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Forestry | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Transport Infrastructure | 1 | US$371mn | 0 | 0 | -1 | -US$371mn |
Water Infrastructure | 4 | US$41mn | 2 | US$280mn | -2 | US$229mn |
Port Infrastructure | 0 | 0 | 2 | US$220,000 | 2 | US$220,000 |
Real Estate | 13 | US$480mn | 11 | US$241mn | -2 | -US$239mn |
Factory Facilites | 0 | 0 | 2 | US$135mn | 2 | US$135mn |
Mining | 6 | US$3.62bn | 8 | US$1.11bn | 2 | -US$2.51bn |
Fishing and Aquaculture | 7 | US$3.65mn | 3 | US$13.5mn | -4 | US$9.86mn |
Environmental Cleanup | 5 | US$59.3mn | 5 | US$7.05mn | 0 | -US$52.2mn |
Others | 5 | US$10.18bn | 4 | US$37.3mn | -1 | -US$10.1bn |
Total | 68 | US$20.2bn | 60 | US$4.64bn | -8 | -US$15.5bn |
The biggest projects submitted during January were
– Polpaico BESS energy storage project (US$225mn);
– Kanut energy storage system (US$255mn);
– Prospection of Cachorro minerals deposit (US$220mn);
– Modification to Aconcagua desalination plant (US$280mn);
– Los Colorados mine modifications and operational continuity (US$344mn);
– Marimaca copper oxides project (US$500mn);
– Mila transmission line and BESS energy storage (US$263mn);
– Las Cañas BESS storage system (US$300mn);
– Lena transmission line and BESS energy storage (US$527mn).
The government submitted a bill to shorten environmental review times last year, though it remains in legislative debate and there are doubts over a key provision to scrap a ministerial comittee that acts as an appeals body in these processes.
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