Green groups are stepping up protests in Chile now that proponents of five hydroelectric dams in the Patagonian region of Aysén have filed a long-awaited environmental-impact statement for the project. The 10,500-page impact study says the dams will require a total investment of US$3.2 billion and possess a combined installed capacity of 2,750 megawatts. If the project wins approval, the sponsors, Italian- and Spanish-owned Endesa and Chile’s Colbún, plan to begin construction next year. The first dam would come on line on the Baker River in 2014 and the last one would start up on the Pascua River in 2021. Construction is contingent not only on the impact-statement’s approval, but also on authorization of a US$2 billion, 1,500... [Log in to read more]