Chile’s Ministry of Energy has published an Aug 18 decree CVE 1996000 outlining steps to prevent further electrical supply disruptions that could lead to power outages or electricity rationing.
Measures include managing, reducing, power supply especially in mines until March 31, 2022.
Diego Hernández, president of the National Mining Society (Sonami), and Sergio Hernández, executive director of the Association of Industrial Mining Suppliers (Aprimin) both expressed the mining sectors´ agreement with governmental measures.
Chilean mines account for a third of the total electricity consumption in the country. Aprimin explained marginal costs at night are exceed $300/MWh while in the daytime consumption rates average $50/MWh. The Sonami representative added diesel generators-designed to provide emergency power- are operating at full capacity.