In an unprecedented event in the National Electric System (SEN)the company María Elena Solar SA, a subsidiary of the Spanish firm Solarpack, it was declared unable to fulfill its supply contracts.
Through a communication sent to National Electrical Coordinator (CEN)the company states that for reasons “totally beyond our control and in no way attributable or attributable to María Elenathis and her Solar Farm Project They’re in the economic impossibility of continuing to fulfill in a timely manner its obligation to pay the amounts that emanate from the Balances of Economic Transfers”.
solar farm is a photovoltaic park located in the commune of Well Almonte, in the Tarapacá Region. Has 105 MW of installed capacity and has 332,000 modules to produce electricity.
“Until the month of June 2022, María Elena Solar SA had fully complied with its obligation to pay the Balance Sheets prepared monthly by the Coordinator, except for specific exceptions due to administrative issues.s, protecting and always respecting the integrity of the payment chain”, indicates the company in the document sent to the CEN.
He adds that “however, for reasons totally beyond their control and beyond their control of Maria Elena Solar S.A. it will not be possible to continue complying with the payment obligations derived from the Balance Sheets for the months of July and August 2022, as well as future Balance Sheets. made by the Coordinator after this date”.
It is worth mentioning that the firm’s supply contracts run until December 31, 2041.
Also, the company states that notifies the Coordinator of the situation it is going through, “with the intention that the Coordinator take the corresponding measures in order to avoid putting the SEN payment chain at risk and exposing the surplus generators and creditors of María Elena Solar to financial risks. SA.”.
Guilds and consultants react
The news has impacted different sectors of the energy sector. Claudio Seebachpexecutive resident of Generadoras de Chile, noted that “We are closely monitoring the situation, which must be resolved within the framework of current procedures and legislation.whose objective is to protect the adequate operation and financial sustainability of the electricity market”.
He added that “It is important to know as soon as possible the decisions and actions that the National Electrical Coordinator and the CNE will take to safeguard the payment chain.”.
For its part, Ana Lía Rojas, Executive Director of ACERAindicated that this situation “concerns the renewable industry, above all, to be able to act proactively with the CNE and the Ministry of Energy that receive this scenario that has years of signal deficits, to adequately allow the insertion of renewables and transmission in the system”.
In that sense, the union leader added that “the weakening and/or rupture of the supply chain for regulated customers is an issue that we must address, since it cannot put the energy transition at risk, and it has multiple causes, some of them systemic and others due to regulatory and operating signals that must be addressed and corrected.”
So too, Rafael Carvallo, consulting partner of energiE, expressed that María Elena Solar’s announcement “is not good news”. In his opinion, “this case is added to the meager result of the last bidding process for regulated supply, which, in a context of technological transformation, with a market design that does not adapt to the speed of this transformation, generates spaces for agents to take risk positions that end up affecting contracts and the payment chain.
While, Ramon Galazpartner of Valgesta Nueva Energía, highlighted the importance of determining now if there are other companies that have shed light on finding themselves in a similar situation. “What cannot happen is that the payment chain in the electrical system”, highlighted the consultant.