The general manager, Sebastián Fernández, highlights the safety provided by the megaline that will link Antofagasta and Santiago, and the urgency of reinforcing the transmission system.

With the February 25 blackout, one of the discussions that was activated was the relevance of developing in time the Kimal-Lo Aguirre megaline, which will link Antofagasta and Santiago and involves an investment of some US$ 1,500 million. Almost two months after the event, Conexión Kimal-Lo Aguirre – the company formed to promote the initiative – makes its own reflection for the first time.

“I dare to say that in some way it allows us to highlight something that we have been saying for a long time, that the need to reinforce the transmission system is urgent, that in order to have a matrix where renewable energies have a greater participation, it is necessary to go hand in hand with the development of infrastructure”, the general manager of Conexión Kimal-Lo Aguirre, Sebastián Fernández, told DF after announcing an alliance with the company Lemu to begin satellite monitoring that allows us to observe the evolution of biodiversity.

He added that “it evidences the need to have a more robust transmission system”, highlighting that the work allows the transport of up to 3,000 MW, which gives a much greater reliability to the system by having an additional line.

Does it give them a boost after what they have experienced? “Absolutely. Within the analyses that are presented and that are made to evaluate the electric system, some analyses are these abrupt departures in different operating conditions and effectively with Kimal-Lo Aguirre the probability that this blackout would have occurred would have been substantially lower”. This, he stresses, is technically backed up.

Although the company is independent, it is owned by Chile HDVC Transmmission SpA, which belongs to China Southern Power Grid (CSG), Transelec and ISA Inversiones Chile (owner of Interchile).

The latter is blamed for the blackout. Transelec has been criticized for the unavailability of its Scada system, which would have been a determining factor for the delay in the recovery of the system.

The company rules out that what Interchile experienced during the February blackout could interfere in any way in the project. We cannot have in any way a better condition because we have the two main operators of the transmission system within the shareholding capital’, says the executive.

And he emphasizes: “Having operators with experience in the transmission system is a tremendous asset for Kimal-Lo Aguirre and for the entire electricity system is a high-level guarantee”.

Deadlines

The complementary addendum (addendum 2) is currently being prepared as part of the project’s processing in the Environmental Impact Assessment System (SEIA).

At the same time, three communities were incorporated into the indigenous consultation as a result of the modifications to the layout incorporated in the first addendum.

When asked about the concerns, in which even SQM’s criticisms were raised, Fernández indicates that all the observations that have been raised can be addressed: “We do not see that there is anything out of line with what we expected in any way. This project has to coexist with the development of many others, due to the fact that we are crossing 1,340 kilometers and this obliges us to make the development of our project compatible with other productive systems”.

And he assured that “the observations of the different services are part of a normal environmental evaluation process”.

The megaline is due to start operating in the first half of 2029 and, according to Fernández, “we do not see any element that raises the risk that we are not going to arrive on that date”.

The Sustainability Manager of Kimal-Lo Aguirre Connection, Carola Venegas, gathers several studies that put scenarios of entry into operation of the project with some delay. “Most likely, those who assumed a start of operation in 2032 were considering several small delays during development and/or construction. Today, 36 months having elapsed, we invite you to review those assumptions.”

Precisely, the firm indicates that they are looking for allies such as Lemu that will allow them to have all the elements that technology can provide to commit to the urgency of the project.

Kimal-Lo Aguirre connection requires processing almost 5 thousand permits. On this point, Fernández emphasizes: “If in the end the reform of the sector permits is achieved, it will undoubtedly be a positive thing for the development of the project, but today our work plan considers the current conditions”.