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Chile's Ministry of Public Works (MOP) has received only one proposal for the Punilla reservoir concession project in the Bío-Bío Region.

Astaldy has been the only bidder form a total of nine teams that were shortlisted, in September 2015, for the start project of the Chilean infrastructure program. The economical proposal will be open on 14 January next year.

In September we announced a few of the companies shortlisted had asked for more time to submit their proposals. After that, the deadline was delayed to December this year, but finally only one team has submitted a proposal. The eight shortlisted companies that have not bid for the project are the following:

• Sacyr,
• A team composed of Ainsa (Abengoa), Conpax and Valko
• Consortium BBB (Belfi, Besalco and Brotec)
• Ingenieros Civiles Asociados (ICA)
• Salini and Impregilo
• Consortium Cintra-Ferrovial
• Consortium Infraestructura Punilla, formed of ACS and Dragados
• Consortium Punilla made up OHL and Aquology (GDF Suez)

The project involves the development of a 137 meters high dam and a 100 MW hydro power plant, which will produce about 470 GWH per year. 

The project is expected to double the amount of irrigated lands to over 60,000 ha. It includes a reservoir with capacity of 625 million m³, which will be located 30 km from San Fabián de Alico. An 85% of the new water reservoir will be used to address irrigation needs while the remaining 15% will be used to produce energy.

The contract is a 20-year concession with income from generation of hydroelectricity. The total project investment is estimated at US$397 million.

The reservoir addresses the irrigation regulation and security needs of farmers in the area of the River Ñuble, including the Ñuble province and part of the San Carlos, Chillán, Ñiquén, San Nicolás, Coihueco and San Fabián de Alico municipal districts in the Bío-Bío Region.