- Enel Generación, the first company to end coal-fired generation in Chile, has proactively advanced in its commitment to a just energy transition.
Coronel, November 21, 2025 – Enel Generación has submitted a Declaration of Environmental Impact (DIA) to the Environmental Assessment Service (SEA) of the Biobío Region. This submission pertains to the final closure phase of Unit I of Central Bocamina, aiming to secure the necessary permits for the plant dismantling process.
This procedure, in conjunction with the environmental permits already obtained for Unit II of the plant, will enable the company to commence dismantling the industrial complex located in the municipality of Coronel.
The process is carried out after Enel Generación has fulfilled the commitments made to the community during the years of operation of the plant in the Biobío Region.
Before starting the final dismantling, Enel Generación internal teams and contractors will carry out preliminary work inside the plant. These activities will mainly focus on ensuring the safe maintenance of the building and its facilities. These activities will take place between December 2025 and the end of 2026.
With the definitive shutdown of the Bocamina Complex in September 2022, Enel Generación became the first company in the national energy sector to completely decarbonize its generation matrix, thus consolidating a milestone in the country's energy transition. This irreversible decision reaffirms the company's commitment not to resume or develop coal-fired generation operations at that site.
In line with its commitment to the environment, Enel Generación went beyond the requirements of the environmental license by converting the Bocamina ash deposit into a green area. This project, developed in collaboration with specialists from the Iniciativa Foresta program at the University of Concepción, incorporates cutting-edge technology to seal and restore the area, promoting biodiversity with a wide variety of native tree and shrub species. A concrete action that transforms an industrial space of approximately 10 hectares into a living ecosystem, contributing to the regeneration and resilience of the environment and becoming a new green lung for the commune of Coronel.
Enel Generación is currently evaluating various alternatives to repurpose part of the plant's facilities, including the geodesic domes, with a focus on the principles of sustainability and the circular economy that guide the company's management. This initiative aims to capitalize on the productive opportunities presented by this infrastructure, benefiting both the municipality of Coronel and the Biobío Region.
Enel Generación emphasizes that the final shutdown phase of Units I and II of the plant will be carried out in strict compliance with current regulations and existing environmental permits, and under strict safety conditions, ensuring the integrity of workers, contractors, and the environment.