Separately, Chile’s national energy commission CNE published the final list of grid projects to be auctioned under its 2025 expansion plan. The US$319 million capital expenditure covers 23 projects across national and zonal transmission systems, with construction expected to start in the first half of 2028. An additional US$90 million in necessary and urgent works is planned outside the auction framework. Key projects include the US$50 million Teodoro Schmidt substation and transmission line initiative. Five projects totaling US$95.8 million target the national system, while 18 zonal projects account for US$223 million. Asset owners involved in expansions include Transelec, Sociedad Austral de Transmisión Troncal, Casablanca Transmisora de Energía, and Chilquinta Transmisión.
The transmission buildout supports Chile’s growing renewable capacity. The energy ministry reported 42 generation plants totaling 2,269MW currently under construction, with solar accounting for 1,639MW and wind for 307MW. Grid coordinator CEN is separately managing a US$500 million procurement process that recently received bids from nine parties. Chile’s transmission sector is undergoing regulatory reform focused on accelerating planning, bidding, permitting and construction timelines. Some industry participants view the current framework as robust but lengthy, prompting calls for greater agility to match the pace of renewable energy development and rising electricity consumption driven by mining, desalination, data centers and industrial demand.
This article was curated and published as part of our South American energy market coverage.
