Kelar power station

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The Kelar power station is a proposed 540-megawatt (MW) power station in Mejillones, II region, northern Chile by BHP Billiton Ltd.

Location

The map below shows Mejillones, the approximate location where the plant would be built.

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Background

BHP obtained approval for the plant in 2007, but then suspended the project. In 2012 BHP resubmitted its plans for the $400-million project, as the previously approved plant was coal-fired and BHP now aimed to use natural gas. The new gas-fired plant, to be constructed by Samsung Engineering, will get its fuel from the Mejillones LNG terminal and will supply electricity to BHP's copper mining subsidiary BHP Billiton Chile. BHP expects the plant to come on line in 2016. In September 2014, BHP Billiton confirmed that Kelar was under construction as a gas-fired plant, saying "with our Korean partner, Samsung and KOSPO, we have formally begun construction of the Kelar gas-fired power plant in Chile and our decision to power this plant with liquefied natural gas instead of coal will help to meet local energy needs while mitigating up to 1.5 million tons of C02 emissions each year."

Project Details

• Sponsor: BHP Billiton
• Parent company:
• Location: Mejillones, II region, Chile
• Coordinates: -23.1, -70.45 (approximate)
• Status:
  • Unit 1: Shelved
  • Unit 2: Shelved
• Gross Capacity:
  • Unit 1: 270 MW
  • Unit 2: 270 MW
• Type: Subcritical
• Projected in service:
• Coal Type:
• Coal Source:
• Source of financing:

Articles and resources

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• Chile and coal