I Love Chile Weekly Magazine | Page 21

BUSINESS NEWS CHILE AND ARGENTINA NOW CONNECTED BY A POWER LINE By CLEMENCE REROLE STARTING FROM LAST FRIDAY, AES GENER’S 345 KILOWATT TRANSMISSION LINE WILL NOW ALLOW AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN CHILE AND ARGENTINA. SANTIAGO — La Tercera reported that, last Friday, the 19th, the Chilean government authorized electricity company AES Gener to use the transmission line that unites the Sistema Interconectado del Norte Grande (SING) in Chile and the Sistema Argentino de Interconexión (SADI) in Argentina. Thanks to this initiative, it will be possible for the two countries to exchange energy. Allowing bidirectional electricity transfer will not only be beneficial for both countries, but is also a fundamental step for regional energetic integration, reported La Tercera. “This situation will not only ensure the country’s energetic security, but also improve the levels of the system’s frequency and its rescuing capacity after an emergency situation such as an earthquake or tsunami” explained Máximo Pacheco, the Minister of Energy. This bidirectional transfer of energy will indeed bring more stable levels of frequency, which, as explained Luis Felipe Cerón, AES Gener Director, is important in order to improve the quality of electrical services, reported El Dínamo. The initiative will also have great economic impact in Chile and Argentina by enhancing competition in the region. According to Pacheco, “Chile continues going forward in terms of regional energetic integration, which is fundamental to […] developing competitive advantage in both countries with respect to each country’s generation mix”, wrote El Dínamo. Moreover, in the opinion of AES Gener’s Director, the initiative will provide great opportunities in terms of cost reduction and for theWikipedia Photo: development of renewable energies. 21