This is the “Altos de Tablaruca Wind Farm” initiative, which sought to build and operate a wind farm with 38 wind turbines and a useful life of 35 years between the municipalities of Chonchi and Quellón, which would have an installed capacity of up to 304 MW.

The US company, Atlas Renewable Energy, has decided not to continue with the evaluation of a US$325 million wind energy project in Chiloé, after various questions from public bodies led it to withdraw the Environmental Impact Study (EIA) from the Environmental Assessment Service (SEA).

This is the “Altos de Tablaruca Wind Farm” initiative, which sought to build and operate a wind farm with 38 wind turbines and a useful life of 35 years between the municipalities of Chonchi and Quellón, which would have an installed capacity of up to 304 MW.

However, according to Ex Ante, more than 10 public bodies presented various objections to the green energy initiative, which is why the US-based company decided to withdraw the project last Wednesday, which was submitted for environmental processing on May 31.

One of the entities mentioned is Conaf, which is reported to have provided dozens of observations by means of an official letter.

Among the aspects mentioned is the consideration of the mounting platforms for the wind turbines, "since they will be devoid of vegetation, which will affect the water flows in the area and the consequent effects on the vegetation surrounding the wind turbines," Ex Ante cites.

Conaf also pointed out that the company must submit monitoring report results to the authorities, in order to evaluate the status of the reforestation that it must carry out and continue for a period of at least five years.

There is also the National Monuments Council (CMN), which has maintained that there are large sites with several occupation events. Therefore, “the environmental impact of the project is not low,” and it calls for measures to be considered to preserve the heritage surrounding the facilities.

This initiative, along with the installation of wind turbines, also has an underground pipeline that will transport energy to a booster substation, to finally pass to a high voltage (22kV) electrical transmission line that will connect to the National Electric System.

Atlas also has projects in Antofagasta (“Javiera” and “Sol del Desierto”) and in Colina (“Quilapilun”).

The National Corporation for Indigenous Development (Conadi) also submitted comments regarding Atlas Renewable Energy's investment in Chiloé, and according to Ex Ante sources, this would be one of the key pressure factors that led to the project being withdrawn from the SEA.

Conadi said it had confirmed that there was no information available to identify the owners of the properties where the high-tension line towers were planned to be installed, and that displacement dynamics and culturally significant sites for some communities had been omitted.

The Corporation closed the door to a possible rectification of the information within the evaluation of the project, since according to the organization, methodologies are required that exceed the evaluation time, which led them to consider "that it is necessary to end the evaluation of the project early."

Finally, Ex Ante adds that in recent weeks, there have been demonstrations by indigenous communities that have shown their opposition to the wind project.