Chilean copper mines have resumed operations following a major power outage due to a transmission line failure. The outage impacted many regions, particularly affecting BHP’s Escondida and Codelco’s mines. While residential power has mostly been restored, some areas still face interruptions. Authorities are investigating the causes of the outage and its implications for safety protocols.
Operations have recommenced at some of the world’s largest copper mines in Chile following a major power outage caused by a transmission line failure in the northern region. This outage, which occurred on Tuesday afternoon, impacted the entire power grid from the mining-heavy north down through central and southern Chile, as reported by Reuters.
BHP’s Escondida copper mine was notably affected by the outage, losing electricity alongside the state-owned Codelco’s various mines. Codelco reported that its sites including Chuquicamata, Andina, Salvador, and El Teniente lost power, while some operations relied on backup generators to maintain limited functionality. Similarly, mining companies Antofagasta and Anglo American confirmed their mines were employing generators to sustain operations during the outage.
By Wednesday morning, Chile’s National Electricity Coordinator (CEN) reported that over 90% of residential power had been restored, although some cities continued to experience intermittent outages. Escondida was reported to have resumed full operations, while Anglo American’s Los Bronces and El Soldado mines regained power, along with the Chagres smelter in central Chile.
Codelco announced progress toward normalization across all divisions, and Antofagasta confirmed that operations were back to normal. At a press briefing, Interior Minister Carolina Toha expressed concern regarding the failure of safety systems and noted the recurrent issues faced by other power stations in their attempts to restart operations.
The outage has been attributed to ISA Interchile, a subsidiary of Colombia’s ISA, which is owned by Ecopetrol. The general manager of ISA Interchile, Luis Llano, indicated that the company is conducting an investigation into the outage, citing electronic and software protection system malfunctions that led to the disconnection of the high-voltage line and subsequent power grid failure.
The copper mines in Chile have successfully resumed operations following a significant power outage caused by transmission line failures. While most of the residential power supply has been restored, some issues remain in certain regions. Key mining companies have indicated a return to their normal operational capacities, although concerns over safety systems and the causes of the outage continue to be investigated.
Original Source: www.mining-technology.com
