Luz de Atacama power station
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Luz de Atacama power station (Termoeléctrica Luz de Atacama) is a cancelled power station in Atacama Desert, Atacama Region, Chile.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Luz de Atacama power station | Atacama Desert, Atacama Region, Chile | -24.6, -70.5 (approximate) |
The map below shows the approximate location of the power station.
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase I | cancelled | coal: unknown | 350 | supercritical |
| Phase II | cancelled | coal: unknown | 1060 | supercritical |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| Phase I | Luz de Atacama SpA [100%] | Luz de Atacama SpA [100.0%] |
| Phase II | Luz de Atacama SpA [100%] | Luz de Atacama SpA [100.0%] |
Background
The Luz de Atacama project was to combine a port, a desalination plant, and a power station using supercritical combustion.[1] The project was first proposed by a group of former executives of AES Gener in November 2015, to be implemented in stages over a term of eight years. The plant was to include two units of 375 MW each, and a third unit of 660 MW, for a total capacity of 1410 MW.[1] The exact location of the project in the Atacama Desert was not specified.[2][1]
In June 2016 the EIA was rejected for insufficient documentation. The sponsor said they plan to resubmit the EIA.[3]
An EIA submitted in July 2016 describes the project as "at least 350 MW" with a total project cost of US$4 billion.[4]
In August 2016, the Atacama region's Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental (SEA) announced early termination of its evaluation of the Luz de Atacama project due to insufficient information. The SEA's decision required that Luz de Atacama's management team provide all missing background information requested by the SEA within five days or begin the entire environmental impact assessment process anew.[5]
In May 2017, El Diario de Atacama identified Luz de Atacama as the largest of three fossil fuel-based power plants that had recently been cancelled due to the growing viability of renewable energy projects in northern Chile.[6][5]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Proyectan central termoeléctrica Luz de Atacama en Caldera, con 1.410 MW de capacidad". Mundo Maritimo. January 8, 2016.
- ↑ Ex ejecutivos de Gener y fondo preparan millonario proyecto termoeléctrico en la Región de Atacama, Atacama Noticias, January 7, 2016
- ↑ "Declaran no admisible a Luz de Atacama el mayor proyecto termoeléctrico del país," Biobio Chile, June 17, 2016
- ↑ "Proyectos presentados al Sistema de Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental en julio de 2016," Codexerde, July 4, 2016
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Retiran del proceso de evaluación ambiental a Luz de Atacama". Chile Sustentable. August 31, 2016.
- ↑ "68 proyectos ya aprobados soportarán baja de termoeléctricas," El Diario de Atacama, May 10, 2017
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
