EVENT

TEN, a subsidiary of ENGIE and Red Eléctrica International, put into service the first electricity interconnection between the north and the center of Chile

By ENGIE - 29 October 2017 - 13:13

TEN, a subsidiary of ENGIE and Red Eléctrica International, put into service the first electricity interconnection between the north and the center of Chile

For the first time, the two main electrical networks in Chile, in the north and the center of the country, has been synchronized.

Transmisora Eléctrica del Norte (TEN), a subsidiary of ENGIE (50%) and Red Eléctrica Internacional (50%) put into service the first electricity interconnection between Mejillones (Antofagasta Region) and Cardones (Atacama Region) of 500 kilovolts of voltage and 600 kilometers in length. 

 

The interconnection between the SING (Norte Grande Interconnected System) and the SIC (Central Interconnected System) networks is an unprecedented achievement for Chile and marks the beginning of a new stage in the history of national electricity distribution which will create a single, more robust, competitive system.

 

The President of TEN and CEO of ENGIE Energy Chile, Axel Levêque, said that "the interconnection project marks the beginning of a new era in energy distribution. In addition to providing Chile with a single electricity system, this is a concrete contribution to the diversification of the energy grid, which will facilitate the entry of renewable projects. We are proud to have contributed to this new and revolutionary chapter for our industry, a process in which we have provided our technical and human resources to the country to successfully complete the project."

THE PROJECT IN FIGURES

  • 600 kilometers of line laying
  • More than 5,000 workers mobilized
  • Four substations constructed: TEN (Mejillones), Los Changos (Mejillones, and the largest in the country), Cumbre (Diego de Almagro) and Nueva Cardones
  • 1,350 towers over 80 meters in height
  • 15 thousand kilometers of conductor cable

The line goes through five communes in two of the country’s regions. and includes four electrical substations: two terminals located in Mejillones and Copiapó, a transformer substation in Mejillones (Changos sector) and a compensation substation in Diego de Almagro. As the line is alternating current, other projects will be able to be connected along its length, solar and wind generators in particular, which are located in the north of the country.

 

ENGIE Energia Chile, hold by ENGIE at 52,76%, is one of the main energy companies and the largest in the Northern Interconnected System (SING), which operates nearly 2,168 kilometers of transmission lines and has an installed capacity of 1,971 MW. In January 2016, Red Eléctrica Internacional invested in TEN through Red Eléctrica Chile, providing its experience as the largest group of network operators in Spain.

About ENGIE

ENGIE is committed to taking on the major challenges of the energy revolution, towards a world more decarbonised, decentralised and digitalised. The Group aims to become the leader of this new energy world by focusing on three key activities for the future: low carbon generation in particular from natural gas and renewable energy, energy infrastructure and efficient solutions adapted to all its customers (individuals, businesses, territories, etc.). Innovation, digital solutions and customer satisfaction are the guiding principles of ENGIE’s development. ENGIE is active in around 70 countries, employs 150,000 people worldwide and achieved revenues of €66.6 billion in 2016. The Group is listed on the Paris and Brussels stock exchanges (ENGI) and is represented in the main financial indices (CAC 40, BEL 20, DJ Euro Stoxx 50, Euronext 100, FTSE Eurotop 100, MSCI Europe) and non-financial indices (DJSI World, DJSI Europe and Euronext Vigeo Eiris - World 120, Eurozone 120, Europe 120, France 20, CAC 40 Governance).

 

 

About GRUPO RED ELECTRICA

The Red Eléctrica Group is a holding company whose main business is the operation and management of electricity transmission lines. The group's parent company is Red Eléctrica Corporación, a listed company owning several subsidiaries, Red Eléctrica de España being the Group’s main company. Red Eléctrica de España is the sole distributor and operator of the Spanish electricity grid and is responsible for the distribution of electricity and operation of the electricity grid in Spain. The company manages and operates over 42,000 km of high voltage lines with very high quality of service levels. Red Eléctrica Internacional is responsible for the Group's international investment activities, with over 15 year experience in South America where it manages 1,200 km of transmission lines in southern Peru also operates in Chile through Red Eléctrica Chile, a 100% subsidiary of Red Eléctrica Internacional, whereby it has a 50% stake in Transmisora Eléctrica del Norte (TEN).