Central San Pedro is a controversial energy project that aims to build a

hydroelectric power plant Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...

in San Pedro River,

Los Ríos Region The Los Ríos Region (Spanish: ''Región de Los Ríos'', , ''Region of the Rivers'') is one of Chile's 16 regions, the country's first-order administrative divisions. Its capital is Valdivia. It began to operate as a region on October 2, 2007, ...

, Chile. The dam and the associated infrastructure of the project would generate total of . The project was halted in 2009 due to problems associated with the

geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ear ...

of the area, but then reactivated in 2019. As of 2019 the municipalities of

Panguipulli Panguipulli ( ; Mapudungun for "hill of the puma") is a city and commune in Valdivia Province, southern Chile, administered by the Municipality of Panguipulli. It is located on the western edge of Panguipulli Lake, and is on a moraine in the Chi ...

and Los Lagos, the two most directly affected communes, have rejected the project. The mayor of Los Lagos, among other people, has expressed concerns over the projects impact on

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...

and

biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...

. On September 7, 2019, three or more armed persons attacked the temporary installations of the project setting the storehouse ablaze. Within a week

Colbún S.A. Colbún is a Public utility, utility company in Chile engaged in the electric power transmission segment. The company was created in 1982 and privatized in 1997. Originally it had only two hydroelectric plants, Machicura and Colbún Hydroelectric ...

had responded by filling legal actions against the responsible. In September 2022 the project was put on hold as Colbún S.A. declared it was not continuing with the legal proceedigns for its establishment. 7-lagos

References

Energy infrastructure in Los Ríos Region Dam controversies Hydroelectricity in Chile Mapuche conflict Proposed hydroelectric power stations Proposed renewable energy power stations in Chile {{Chile-struct-stub

See also

References