Quilleco is a run-of-river hydroelectric plant with an effective installed capacity of 70 MW, which uses the waters of the Laja River Basin to deliver energy to the National Electrical System equivalent to the consumption of more than 162,000 people.
Located in the Biobío region, Quilleco started its operation in the first half of 2007, and in July 2008 it was registered under the Clean Development Mechanism, which allows it to certify greenhouse gas reductions for approximately 290 thousand tons of CO2e per year.
Like the rest of Colbún's plants, Quilleco also has ISO 14001:2015 and OHSAS 18001:2007 certifications, and its relationship with neighboring communities is framed by the Company's corporate policy, where the main objective is the creation of shared value. Thus, a series of initiatives have been developed with the communities of Quilleco, where the following stand out:
- Execution of educational programs aimed at providing tools to high school students for the development of competencies associated to leadership and social entrepreneurship;
- Delivery of contributions for the financing of equipment or training of volunteers for the communal fire companies;
- Carrying out a program that promotes the tourist and recreational development of the area, making it inclusive and integrating for the community, encouraging the development of the local economy, family life, contact with nature and the development of sport;
- Implementation of a program that helps small municipalities to prepare and design infrastructure projects to apply for available public funds;
-Support to the Liceo Valle del Sol of Quilaco by providing resources for the formation and training of students in the specialty of Tourism;
- Execution of practical workshops for more than 120 attendees on fruit tree agriculture, beekeeping for obtaining honey and other products, and pasture management;
- Support for entrepreneurs in the area through two centers located in the Biobío region, which train and advise entrepreneurs on issues such as project management and application for funding.
About Colbún S.A.
Colbún S.A. is a company of Chilean origin dedicated to the generation of electricity. It has 26 generation plants in Chile and Peru, through which it has a total installed capacity of 3,893 MW distributed in different types of generation technologies. The company also has 941 kilometers of transmission lines.
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For more information on the social benefits of the project, please click here.