Chile's environmental submissions rose during Q1

Chile's environmental review agency SEA received 147 projects worth US$12.7bn during the first quarter, compared to 124 proposals worth US$12.3bn in 1Q24.

Details

	Jan-Mar 2024		Jan- Mar 2025		Variation
Sector	Submissions	Investment	Submissions	Investment	Submissions	Investment
Agriculture	3	US$101mn	5	US$41.7mn	2	-US$59,2mn
Energy	43	US$4.44bn	55	US$6.98bn	12	US$2.54bn
Equipment	1	US$380,000	0	0	-1	-US$380,000
Forestry	0	0	0	0	0
Transport Infrastructure	1	US$401mn	1	US$50.8mn	0	-US$350mn
Water infrastructure	1	US$28mn	2	US$280mn	+1	+US$252mn
Port Infrastructure	1	US$15.6mn	2	US$220,000	+1	-US$15.4mn
Real estate	5	US$294mn	3	US$123mn	-2	-US$171mn
Factory facilities	1	Below US$10,000	3	US$136mn	+2	+US$136mn
Mining	16	US$2.34bn	26	US$3.78bn	+10	+US$1.44bn
Fishing and aquaculture	7	US$151mn	6	US$19.1mn	-1	-US$132mn
Environmental cleanup	8	US$36.4mn	8	US$24.9mn	0	-US$11.5mn
Others	11	US$2.72bn	8	US$524mn	-3	-US$2.2bn
Total	124	US$12.3bn	146	US$12.7bn	+22	+US$3.41bn

One project was submitted twice because it was initially rejected.

SEA approved 56 projects, down from 64 between January and March 2024, although related investments rose from US$3.60bn to US$4.22bn thanks to increases in mining and real estate, according to the agency's monthly report.

	Jan-Mar 2024		Jan-Mar 2025		Variation
Sector	Approvals	Investment	Approvals	Investment	Approvals	Investment
Agriculture	4	US$91.7mn	0	0	-4	-US$91.7mn
Energy	22	US$2.27bn	24	US$1.78bn	-2	-US$496mn
Equipment	0	0	0	0	0
Forestry	0	0	0	0	0
Transport Infrastructure	2	US$95.9mn	1	US$259mn	-1	+US$163mn
Water infrastructure	2	US$215mn	1	US$320,000	-1	-US$214mn
Port Infrastructure	0	0	0	0	0
Real estate	8	US$232mn	13	US$499mn	-2	+US$268mn
Factory facilities	4	US$180mn	0	0	-4	-US$180mn
Mining	7	US$78.9mn	4	US$1.37bn	-3	+US$1.29bn
Fishing and aquaculture	1	US$360,000	3	US$22.2mn	+2	+US$21.8mn
Environmental cleanup	7	US$55.2mn	4	US$6.15mn	-3	+US$49.1mn
Others	7	US$378mn	6	US$236mn	-1	-US$91.4mn
Total	64	US$3.60bn	56	US$4.22bn	-8	+US$621mn

Numbers

Investments related to projects submitted in March rose to US$5.29bn from US$2.8bn in February, even though the number of projects fell from 49 to 38.

The biggest projects of the month were:

– Camarones BESS energy storage system (US$350 million). Submitted twice during March because the first submission was rejected.

– Huañil BESS energy storage plant (US$188mn)

– route 5 Chillán-Collipulli highway concession (US$448mn. Not accepted for review)

– modifications to Laguna Seca concentrator plant and associated energy line at Escondida mine (US$2.35bn)

– Monterrico solar photovoltaic plant (US$306mn) 

– Freirina BESS energy storage system (US$120mn. Not accepted for review)

– Vientos de Taltal solar and wind hybrid park (US$750mn)

At the same time, 22 projects received approval during March, eight more than the previous month. Investments jumped from US$420mn to US$2.31bn.

The biggest approved projects were:

– La Farola mineral extraction and processing project (US$260mn)

– Casas Viejas photovoltaic plant (US$116mn)

– Removal of the Pérez Caldera dam and adaptation of water resource at Los Bronces mine (US$1.1bn)

– San Carlos wind farm (US$241mn)

– corridor between routes 68 and 78 (US$259mn)