29 January 2008 - Suez Energy International and Antofagasta Minerals, a Chilean industrial group, have signed an agreement for the supply of up to 150 MW and related energy for the new Esperanza mine in northern Chile starting in 2011.
This power station will use circulating fluidised bed technology and will be able to burn biomass and other fuels.
This second unit will be identical to the first one, for which construction started in the fourth quarter summer of 2007 and will equally be connected to the Sistema Interconectado del Norte Grande.
Dirk Beeuwsaert, CEO of Suez Energy International: "Taking into account the energy context of Chile, we think it is crucial to invest in different energy solutions.
"Apart from the coal stations we are constructing now, we will start in the coming months the construction of our LNG project in Northern Chile, which will secure a reliable source of natural gas for the existing gas-fired plants."