Alfalfal
Location: Region Metro
Operator: AES Gener
Configuration: 2 X 80 MW Pelton
Operation: 1991
T/G supplier: Sulzer Escher Wyss, Siemens
EPC: Astaldi, Coyne et Bellier, Constructora Fe Grande
Quick facts: The plant has a 22.5km headrace tunnel.

Photograph courtesy of AES Gener
Re-posted 30 Oct 2011

Chacabuquito
Location: V Region
Operator: Hidroeléctrica Guardia Vieja SA
Configuration: 4 X 7.25 MW Francis
Operation: 2002
T/G supplier: VA TECH, Kaick
Quick facts: Tailwaters from the Los Quilos plant are passed to this plant via a 10km channel and a 3km tunnel. The project was developed with assistance from the World Bank and the Joint Implementation Fund.

Photograph courtesy of Hidroeléctrica Guardia Vieja SA
Posted 30 Jul 2005

Chacayes
Location: VI Region
Operator: Pacific Hydro
Configuration: 2 X 55.5 MW Francis
Operation: 2011
T/G supplier: Andritz
EPC: Hatch, Astaldi, Constructora Fe Grande
Quick facts: Chacayes is the first phase of Pacific Hydro's new project development in the Alto Cachapoal Valley. The plant is designed to generate 558 GWhyr. It was given environmental approval in July 2008 and site prep began in October 2008. In May 2009, Astaldi took a 27% stake in the project. Pacifc Hydro has a PPA with Chilectra for the plant output. On 25 Oct 2011, Chile’s Minister for Energy, Rodrigo Álvarez, inaugurated the plant.

Photograph courtesy of Pacific Hydro
Posted 15 Feb 2010

Chapiquiña
Location: XV Region
Operator: E-CL
Configuration: 2 X 5.1 MW Pelton
Operation: 1967
T/G supplier: Voest
EPC: SOGEA
Quick facts: Chapiquiña is on the Río Lauca in Parinacota.

Photograph courtesy of E-CL
Posted 28 Dec 2011

Colbun
Location: VII Region
Operator: Colbun SA
Configuration: 2 X 200 MW Francis
Operation: 1985
T/G supplier: Voith, Siemens
EPC: Electrowatt, Campenon
Quick facts: The Colbun complex includes two powerhouses. The main power station is underground fed by a 2,650m pressure tunnel.

Photograph courtesy of Colbun SA
Posted 23 Apr 2005

La Confluencia
Location: VI Region
Operator: Pacific Hydro
Configuration: 2 X 78 MW Francis
Operation: 2010
T/G supplier: Voith, Siemens
EPC: Tecsa SA, Hochtief
Quick facts: La Confluencia is one of two hydro power plants resulting from a 50/50 joint venture formed in 2004 by Pacific Hydro and SN Power to build run-of-river hydro power plants in the Tinguiririca Valley, 150km south of Santiago. La Confluencia and La Higuera were opened in Oct 2010 by Chilean President Sebastián Piñera. The two plants have a long-term PPA with Chilectra.

Photograph courtesy of Pacific Hydro
Posted 30 Oct 2011

Los Molles
Location: IV Region
Operator: Endesa Chile
Configuration: 2 X 9 MW Pelton
Operation: 1952
T/G supplier: Charmilles, BBC
Quick facts: One of the World Bank’s first development loans was to the Corporacion de Fomento and Empresa Nacional de Electricidad. This loan financed construction of hydroelectric plants at Los Molles and Los Cipreses and helped to purchase equipment for Pilmaiquen Hydroelectric plant. Los Molles, located about 400km north of Santiago, took 4yrs to build.

Photograph courtesy of CDEC-SIC
Posted 16 Mar 2008

Los Quilos
Location: V Region
Operator: Hidroeléctrica Guardia Vieja SA
Configuration: 3 X 13 MW Pelton
Operation: 1986-1989
T/G supplier: Escher Wyss, Sulzer, Westinghouse, GEC
Quick facts: Los Quilos uses water from the Rio Aconcagua and the Rio Colorado. The first two sets, which date to 1943, were completely rebuilt in 1988/89 and the third set is a new machine added in 1986.

Photograph courtesy of Hidroeléctrica Guardia Vieja SA
Posted 30 Jul 2005

Machicura
Location: VII Region
Operator: Colbun SA
Configuration: 2 X 45 MW Kaplan
Operation: 1985
T/G supplier: Voith, Siemens
EPC: Electrowatt, Campenon
Quick facts: The Machicura powerhouse is at the head of a 24km canal that supplies local irrigation needs and finally discharges into the Rio Maule.

Photograph courtesy of Colbun SA
Posted 23 Apr 2005

Maitenes
Location: Region Metro
Operator: AES Gener SA
Configuration: 2 X 9 MW, 1 X 8 MW Pelton
Operation: 1923
T/G supplier: American Pelton Wheel, Charmilles, Westinghouse Canada
Quick facts: Maitenes supplies both Santiago and Valparaiso and was developed by Cia Nacional de Electricidad on the Rio Colorado about 65km from Santiago. The company was taken over by Weetman Pearson's Cia Chilena de Electricidad, successor to the original Chilian Electric Tramway and Light Co formed about 1898 by Wernher Beit & Co and later sold to Allgemeine Electricitats Gesellschaft of Berlin. Maitenes was badly damaged by a mudflow resulting from an upstream avalanche in Nov 1987.

Photograph courtesy of CDEC-SIC
Posted 16 Mar 2008

Ojos de Agua
Location: VII Region
Operator: Endesa Eco
Configuration: 1 X 9.6 Francis
Operation: 2008
T/G supplier: Ingehydro, Indar
EPC: Ingendesa
Quick facts: This run-of-river minihydro has a fuse-type diversion dam with a lateral concrete funnel and regulating gate with the main water intake along the Rio Cipreses. The site is about 100km from Talca. The plant is expected to supply about 48 GWh/yr through the switchyard at Cipreses. Startup testing began on 31 May 2008. The plant was CDM registered in Apr 2007.

Photograph courtesy of Endesa Chile
Posted 14 Jun 2008

Pangue
Location: VIII Region
Operator: Endesa Chile
Configuration: 2 X 228 MW Francis
Operation: 1996
T/G supplier: Kvaerner, CGE
EPC: Ingendesa, Dragados
Quick facts:In Sep 1996, the reservoir was filled for Endesa’s Pangue power station on the upper Rio Bio-Bio, 85km east of Los Angeles, VIII Region and power operations started thereafter. The project dam is 115m tall and the scheme cost $460mn.

Photograph courtesy of Endesa Chile
Posted 25 Apr 2012

Pilmaiquen
Location: X Region
Operator: Empresa Electrica Puyehue SA
Configuration: 3 X 5 MW, 2 X 12 MW Francis
Operation: 1944-1958
T/G supplier: Allis Chalmers, Ansaldo, Siemens
Quick facts: This plant is on the Rio Pilmaiquen 7km downstream of Lake Puyehue. A group of dams diverts the river’s flow into a 460m canal forming a small reservoir before the powerhouse. The plant is 956km kilometers south of Santiago and connects to the Sistema Interconectado Central (SIC) via a 43km transmission line. Output is sold to local distribution utilities and one of Chile’s largest dairy products companies.

Photograph courtesy of Enel Latin America LLC
Posted 21 May 2008

Pullinque
Location: X Region
Operator: Empresa Electrica Puyehue SA
Configuration: 3 X 16 MW, 2 X 12 MW Francis
Operation: 1962
T/G supplier: Kvaerner, Elin
Quick facts: The Pullinque powerhouse is supplied by a 4.58km canal from Pullinque Lake and water is then returned to the Rio Huenehue. The site is 818km south of Santiago. Electricity is sold to Endesa.

Photograph courtesy of Enel Latin America LLC
Posted 21 May 2008

Ralco
Location: VIII Region
Operator: Endesa Chile
Configuration: 2 X 382 MW Francis
Operation: 2004
T/G supplier: Alstom
EPC: Alstom, Febrag SA, Constructora Fe Grande
Quick facts: Ralco's 155m tall RCC dam is one of the tallest of its kind in the world. The plant cost $568mn.

Photograph courtesy of Power
Posted 4 Dec 2004

Rapel
Location: VI Region
Operator: Endesa Chile
Configuration: 5 X 75 MW Francis
Operation: 1968
T/G supplier: Hitachi
EPC: Coyne et Bellier
Quick facts: This 112m high arch dam is at the confluence of the Cachapoal and Tinguiririca rivers and created the largest artificial lake in Chile with a capacity of 700mn m³. The dam, which has a seismic belt, survived a strong earthquake in 1985 with little damage.

Photograph courtesy of CDEC-SIC
Posted 16 Mar 2008