Strong rain conditions have allowed south American utility Endesa Chile to start filling at the 570MW hydroelectric Ralco dam, with the process expected to be finished by this summer.
The Latin American subsidiary of Endesa anticipates water levels to rise at an initial rate of around 3–4m per day with filling completed between May and July depending on rainfall.
The company has invested some US$540M to date in the project and plans to commission the power station in the second half of 2004.
Once it is generating electricity, Ralco is to deliver some 9% of the Chilean Central Interconnected System’s power requirements.
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