This decision will allow saving about USD 130,000 annually.
Since the month of May, the offices of the Civic Center and the Community Development Directorate (DIDECO) of Lo Barnechea district in North-East Santiago operate with clean, sustainable energy from Cerro Dominador’s solar power complex in the Atacama desert.
This is possible due to a contract of electricity supply awarded after a public tender process between Cerro Dominador and the Municipality of Lo Barnechea, under a “free customer” mode.
What does this mean? As indicated in Article 147 of the General Electricity Services Law, customers whose connected power is greater than 500 kW —as in this case— have the option to become “free customers” who can freely choose their energy suppliers and thus stand up for clean energy sources.
Therefore, both municipal facilities use renewable energy generated by Cerro Dominador, reducing their carbon footprint and allowing them to save USD 130,000 annually, which can be used for other projects of local interest.
As of May, the offices of the Civic Center and the Community Development Directorate (DIDECO) of Lo Barnechea district in North-East Santiago will operate with clean, sustainable energy from Cerro Dominador’s solar power complex in the Atacama desert.
The Cerro Dominador solar power complex plant has a pioneering thermal storage system, which reliably supplies for electricity 24/7.
Lo Barnechea will become one of the first districts in Chile to stand up for this type of energy, which will not only reduce the effects of climate change at a local level, but will also “directly benefit their inhabitants”, says Development Director of Cerro Dominador, Gustavo Rioseco.
Also, Lo Barnechea’s mayor, Cristóbal Lira, expressed that they will continue “working for initiatives that allow us to promote the development of an energy strategy with positive local impact.”
During the execution of the contract, the municipality may request to further expand this clean energy supply to other municipal facilities that meet the “free customer” mode requirements stated by law.