Chile's La Serena $370 Million Desalination Project Submits Environmental Impact Assessment, Construction to Begin in 2028

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Desaladora La Serena SpA has submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to the Environmental Impact Assessment System (SEIA) for the "Multipurpose Desalination Plant – La Serena" project, with an investment of $370 million. The project is located in the coastal area of Punta Porotos, approximately 18 km north of the city of La Serena, covering a total area of 45 hectares. Its purpose is to provide a continuous and reliable supply of multipurpose desalinated water for human consumption, industry, agriculture, and mining in the Elqui Province, ensuring continuity, reliability, and sustainability of water supply.

The desalination process uses reverse osmosis technology, with a maximum design capacity of 2,000 liters per second. The production plan is scaled up in three phases: from operational years 1 to 5, Partial Operation 1, with an initial nominal output of 500 liters per second; from operational years 6 to 10, Partial Operation 2, increasing capacity to 1,000 liters per second by activating additional equipment, a phase that requires no additional surface intervention; and from year 11 onward, Full Operation, reaching the maximum capacity of 2,000 liters per second, at which point a second seawater intake pipeline and a second product water distribution pipeline will be added.

The engineering plan covers offshore and submarine structures: two submarine intake towers, an intake tunnel, and a coastal collection well form the main components of the intake system. Brine discharge is carried out through an 800-meter-long submarine outfall pipeline, connected to an 80-meter-long tunnel, equipped with high-dilution diffusers, with the outlet located outside the coastal protection area.

Onshore works include the product water distribution network, equipped with a pumping station (EB1) and crossing tunnels leading to the terminal point. For power supply, the project will build a 220/66 kV sectionalized substation and install a 7.68 km-long 66 kV high-voltage transmission line (LAT) to connect to the National Electric System (SEN).

According to the EIA, the total service life of the project is 44 years, comprising a 3-year construction period and a 40-year operation period. Construction is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2028, with the first operation date set for the third quarter of 2031. During the peak construction period, the workforce may reach up to 725 workers, with an average of 381, and the project company has committed to prioritizing local labor in hiring.

Due to partial overlap with the priority site "Punta Teatinos–Caleta Hornos / Northern Coastal Area of La Serena," the project company will implement a strict environmental management plan, including measures such as rescuing animals with limited mobility and protecting the coastal habitat of the marine otter (Lontra felina).