# Alto Maule transmission project opposition

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/alto-maule-transmission-project-opposition
> Updated: 2026-08-18T00:38:10.000Z. Sources: 11. Developments: 2.

In the Alto Maule region of Chile, local authorities and community groups organized protests to oppose the Los Cóndores interconnection project. This privately-owned initiative, proposed by Enel Generación Chile S.A., sought to install high-voltage transmission towers and a substation to connect to the Argentine border. Opponents, including Governor Pedro Pablo Álvarez-Salamanca and the movement Salvemos Alto Maule, argued the project would damage biodiversity and conflict with efforts to designate the area as a UNESCO World Geopark.

Following these protests and evaluations, the Maule Environmental Evaluation Commission rejected the project. The commission cited significant concerns regarding the impact on protected assets, landscapes, and local tourism, particularly near Laguna del Maule and Potrero Lo Aguirre. Evaluators also noted that the project offered minimal permanent employment benefits beyond a temporary construction phase.

## Claims

- The Environmental Evaluation Commission rejected the Los Cóndores–Río Diamante project. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Enel Generación Chile S.A. was the developer of the rejected electrical project. (single source)
- The project was rejected due to impacts on biodiversity, protected assets, landscape, and tourism. (single source)
- The project area is a habitat for the critically endangered Pehuenche frog. (single source)
- The project included a 220/500 kV substation and a 500 kV transmission line toward the Argentine border. (single source)
- The project involved 72 structures and approximately 26.7 kilometers of line in Chile. (single source)
- The project was expected to create an average of 90 jobs during its two-year construction phase. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-18: Maule Environmental Commission rejects high-voltage power project

Chile's Maule Environmental Evaluation Commission rejected Enel Generación's high-voltage transmission project due to risks to biodiversity, landscapes, and tourism in the Alto Maule region.

11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/chile-rejects-enel-generacins-los-cndoresro-diamante-power-project

### 2026-07-26: Chile's Alto Maule region rallies against transmission tower project

Talca residents, led by Governor Álvarez‑Salamanca and Mayor Rojas, protested the Los Cóndores transmission tower plan, citing UNESCO geopark ambitions for Alto Maule.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/chiles-alto-maule-region-rallies-against-transmission-tower-project

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Cite as: Alto Maule transmission project opposition. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/alto-maule-transmission-project-opposition