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Chilean state-owned mining company Codelco concluded a public bidding process involving 32 companies, awarding renewable energy supply contracts to Generadora Metropolitana and GR Power Chile. The agreements, which include lithium battery storage systems, will be in effect between 2026 and 2040 and are part of the companys strategy to achieve a 100% clean electricity grid by 2030. Chiles state-owned National Copper Corporation (Codelco) has announced the closing of a public tender to secure a long-term renewable energy supply, as part of its goal of operating with a completely clean electricity matrix by 2030. The process, developed during 2024 and in which 32 companies participated, resulted in the award of 1.5 TWh/year, of which 1 TWh/year will be supplied by Generadora Metropolitana, owned by the Andes Mining & Energy (AME) groups and the French EDF, and 0.5 TWh/year by GR Power Chile, a subsidiary of the Spanish company Grenergy, the latter figure of which has already been reported . The contract with Generadora Metropolitana provides for the supply of 100% renewable energy starting in January 2026 for a period of 15 years. The energy will come from two projects to be built in María Elena, Antofagasta region: a solar power plant with storage capacity and a stand-alone storage system (BESS), both based on lithium batteries. The agreement with GR Power Chile will also last 15 years and includes supply from various hybrid projects, including the 340 MW Monte Águila plant, equipped with BESS storage, and the 241 MW Gran Teno plant, already operational and undergoing hybridization. The state-owned company reports that these contracts are part of a strategy initiated in 2018, which has included contract renegotiations and new tenders to decarbonize its matrix, obtain more competitive rates, and mitigate risks associated with coal-based contracts. In February 2024, the company had already awarded another 1,800 GWh/year to Atlas, Innergex, and Colbún, which will allow Codelco to generate more than 85% of its electricity consumption from renewable sources starting in 2026 . The supply awarded in this latest tender is guaranteed to be essential to cover both current demand and the new requirements of the companys divisions, ensuring an electricity supply under conditions consistent with the technical and economic reality of the market. Furthermore, the use of storage systems will enable flexible and reliable energy delivery, even during periods of low solar or wind generation. |
