Chile regulator charges Frontel, Codiner and CGE over July power outages

The Chilean Superintendencia de Electricidad y Combustibles (SEC) has filed formal charges against electricity distributors Frontel S.A. and Codiner S.A. for alleged failures to maintain their networks during the severe frontal weather system that struck the Araucanía region from 15 July, leaving 215,806 customers without power for up to 84 hours. Minister of Energy Ximena Rincón endorsed the regulator’s action, noting the importance of enforcing compliance.

Separately, the municipality of Illapel in the Choapa province submitted a formal request to SEC to open an administrative investigation into CGE (Compañía General de Electricidad) after the same weather event caused prolonged outages across more than 30 urban and rural sectors. Mayor Denis Cortés Aguilera highlighted the hardship for electro‑dependent patients and called for fines, compensation and stronger contingency planning.