Enel adding 600MW Bess to Chile portfolio

Market: Battery materials, Electricity
29/10/26

Construction of Italian utility Enel's four new battery energy storage systems (Bess) in Chile remain on track with a combined capacity of 600MW, the firm's Chile chief executive Gianluca Palumbo said on Thursday.

The four projects will operate with existing solar and/or wind generation plants and all incorporate grid-forming technology, which helps renewable energies maintain grid stability, Palumbo said during a results conference call.

"By helping maintain voltage and frequency, [grid-forming technology] can provide the same stability traditionally provided by conventional power plants," he said.

First off the block, the 205MW Las Salinas Bess will be Chile's first to operate with grid-forming technology, representing a major milestone, he said.

Las Salinas recently connected to the grid and commercial operations are expected to start in 2027.

The 153MW Valle del Sol and 94MW Azabache Bess projects are also scheduled to start next year, he said.

Construction began at the 100MW Finis Terrae Bess project in August and is scheduled to come on line in 2028.

Once complete, the four projects will increase Enel's Bess capacity in Chile to 800MW.

Chile approved a regulation earlier this year requiring Bess, solar and wind plants to incorporate grid forming technology to enhance grid stability as thermal plants are phased out.

Enel's January-September profits rose by 11pc from a year before to $390mn, Enel Chile said. Heavy rains since August that lifted hydro generation by 3pc to 8.2TWh boosted the performance.

Enel is Chile's largest generator with installed capacity of 8.9GW. Of the total, 41pc are hydro; 35pc are wind, solar and geothermal; 17pc are combined-cycle gas plants and 5pc are powered by oil and gas. Bess represents 2pc.

By Emily Russell

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30/10/26

Asean aims to ratify oil security agreement by mid-Nov

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Australia seeks strict power rules for data centres

29/10/26

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29/10/26

Australia seeks strict power rules for data centres

Sydney, 29 October (Argus) — Australia has proposed requiring large data centres to secure sufficient firmed electricity supply from new renewable generation and storage assets within their own states or territory, or risk facing financial penalties and potentially load shedding. The proposal came from climate change and energy minister Chris Bowen, who submitted two rule change requests to the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC). The requests, published by the AEMC on 28 October, seek amendments to the National Electricity Rules that would create a mandatory contracting obligation for qualifying data centres, as the government moves to manage the reliability and price impacts of rapidly rising power demand from that sector. Under the proposals, data centres above certain size thresholds or operational profile — that are yet to be defined — would need to demonstrate that their electricity demand is backed by eligible firming arrangements, including new renewable generation, storage and dependable demand flexibility located in the same National Electricity Market (NEM) region as the facility. Data centres would need to contract sufficient firmed capacity to match their load profile and support investment in new renewable generation, storage and demand response. The government said this would help ensure the costs and reliability risks associated with large new loads are not transferred to other electricity consumers. Eligible firming arrangements could include power purchase agreements (PPAs), cap contracts, tolling agreements, behind-the-meter batteries and demand response resources. A data centre's compliance would be assessed against its overall portfolio of contracts and resources rather than individual agreements. Data centres that failed to comply would be subject to enforcement action by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) or the Australian Energy Market Operator (Aemo), including financial penalties and potentially even load shedding. "Under this approach, a non-compliant data centre could be required to reduce its demand until it demonstrates sufficient firm contract coverage as required by the obligation," the change request said. The AEMC has not yet initiated the rule change process, which will include consultation papers seeking stakeholder feedback. The request follows concerns over the scale of forecast demand growth from the sector. The latest Electricity Statement of Opportunities (ESOO) from Aemo forecasts data centre electricity consumption rising to around 15TWh by 2029-30 and about 34TWh by 2035-36, equivalent to around 7.8pc and 13pc respectively of NEM operational demand. The Australian government last month released its national artificial intelligence (AI) standards framework for consultation, proposing that large-scale data centre operators surrender renewable energy certificates equivalent to their annual electricity consumption. Before that, the federal government reached a compromise with Queensland and the Northern Territory , allowing jurisdictions with government-owned utilities to use existing generation assets where surplus capacity exists, rather than relying exclusively on new renewable projects. The new change request does not exclude non-renewable power generation but prioritises new renewable generation and storage. "While the presence of non-renewable backup generation or other supporting technologies should not necessarily preclude access to the framework, the intent is not to facilitate data centres that are co-located solely with non-renewable generation," the proposal reads. By Juan Weik and Lawrence Wen Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Fed holds rate steady, awaits more data: Update

28/10/26

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28/10/26

Fed holds rate steady, awaits more data: Update

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European cobalt drops on demand concerns

27/10/26

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27/10/26

European cobalt drops on demand concerns

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27/10/26

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27/10/26

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