HidroAysén review postponed until after Chile election

The Chilean government has missed a self-imposed deadline to review a raft of complaints regarding the 2.75GW HidroAysén mega-hydro project in the country's south, local media reported Monday. The delay has cast further doubt over the project's future amid concerns over its environmental and social impact on pristine Patagonian land. According to reports, the government's failure to conduct the review breaks a promise made by energy secretary Sergio del Campo to define HidroAysén's future by September. "This delay has generated strong discomfort among the controllers of the initiative," local daily El Mercurio reported. The newspaper added that the government has postponed a review of the complaints until after Chile's presidential election on November 17. HidroAysén's blueprint comprises five plants on the Baker and Pascua rivers with a combined annual generation capacity of 18.4TWh. The project is a joint venture between utilities Endesa Chile (51%) and Colbún (49%).