Why this is important to Wisconsin businesses: The project also includes construction of a photovoltaic power plant.
Chilean company Trends Industrial is seeking shareholders to consolidate funding for a special purpose company to develop the Energía y Aguas del Pacífico (ENAPAC) project, located in Chile’s Atacama region. Once consolidated, ENAPAC will become the biggest desalination plant in South America and one of the most advanced in the world.
The project, with a total investment of $1 billion, will be conducted in two phases:
- Phase 1: The first $500 million will be invested in the construction of the desalination plant.
- Phase 2: The remaining $500 million will be used for other construction projects, including pipelines and the building of a photovoltaic power plant.
The purpose of the desalination plant is to help service the mining industry in the Atacama region, where most of Chile’s mining occurs. The Atacama region is one of the driest regions in the world, so the water provided by the desalination plant will provide a much needed infusion of water for the industry.
Once in operation, the desalination plant will have a capacity of up to 2,600 liters of water per second. Pipelines will be built so water can be transported up to 100 kilometers, so the plant will be able to supply water to clients throughout the Atacama region.
In addition to the desalination plant, the project includes the construction of a 100MW photovoltaic power plant, which will help provide power to the project.
The project’s goals are to provide economies of scale to clients and to provide much-needed water and energy to a mining industry that is heavy on both water and energy consumption. Currently, they are looking for shareholders to cover between 20% and 25% of the project cost, with the remainder financed by debt.