“Both for us and Enel, having been able to carry out the value improvement of the Victoria 612 Museum is a milestone that really moves us, because we understand it as a contribution to Santiago’s history and of course, also that of Chile. To be able to see the work and development of electrification of the city and of the country, by means of the elements and photographs exhibited in the museum, is something that really inspires us to continue working towards the electric power development of Chile”
Let there be Light!
It’s a total of 19,389 photographs, in different formats, that were delivered by Enel Chile, as a loan, to the National Library. It is the Institutional Historical Photographic Archive of Enel Distribucion thatwill be exhibited from May 23 to July 28 in the Marta Cruz-Coke hall of the National Library free of charge.
The exhibition began to take shape in 2018, after the signing of an agreement between Enel Chile and the Servicio Nacional del Patrimonio Cultural. The images render account of the arrival of electric power to Santiago and how the city and its inhabitants underwent an important change. All of the images were delivered in different formats, from negatives in glass plates, through plastic supports, to blueprint copies, which kept their original format (bluish tone photographs on paper).
“The Enel Archive must be one of the most complete visual records existing in Chile, their photographic quality and conservation condition render account, in an exceptional way, of the beginning of the development we underwent starting the past century. Undoubtedly, a heritage that must be broadcasted and exhibited for the knowledge of all Chileans”
Within the collection delivered and that is to be exhibited starting today, 50 photographic albums stand out, that are a complete and interesting record of the construction of the first power generating plants, the implementation of electric power services and the startup of the trams, among other things. One year after this agreement, the Photographic Archive of the National Library has digitized and cataloged these albums, which are now available to be consulted in the National Digital Library.
Los Molles power plant opens its doors
The Los Molles power plant is a large engineering work located 81 kilometers east of Ovalle. Its construction began in 1947 and five years later, in 1952, it was operating, within the framework of the country’s electrification plan during the Government of President Gabriel González Videla. This hydroelectric power plant is one of the oldest in the country, with an installed capacity of 18MW.
Within the framework of the Heritage Day and thanks to an agreement between Enel Chile and the Procultura Foundation, with the aid of the Municipality of Monte Patria, for the first time the Los Molles Hydroelectric Power Plant will open its doors to the community, in the Region of Coquimbo.
“We are seeking to place value upon the history of the electrification in Chile, and even further, to place value upon all Chileans who have contributed with their work to electric power generation. Opening this power plant to the community in a day as important as the heritage day, also means to show how electric power has contributed to the country’s development. Today, more than ever, we reinforce our commitment to continue driving sustainable development.”