Chile: Implementation of the Energy Efficiency Law moves forward

One of the pending matters of the Energy Efficiency Law referred to the identification of consumers with energy management capacity called "CCGE". These customers are large energy consumers (companies with energy consumption for final use over 50 tera-calories in the previous calendar year), which together account for more than one third of the energy consumed in the country.

Last March 8, Resolution 13 of 2023 of the Ministry of Energy was published in the Official Gazette, establishing the list of companies classified as CCGE, which includes about 150 companies from all productive sectors of the country, from mining to retail. From its publication, the companies classified as CCGE have 20 working days to challenge their inclusion before the Superintendence of Electricity and Fuels.

Companies that qualify as CCGE are required to implement one or more energy management systems that cover at least 80% of their total energy consumption and include policies, goals, action plans and energy performance indicators. These companies also must designate an energy manager and have measurement and verification systems. These management systems will be audited every three years by a third party and the companies must also send the authority an annual report on their energy consumption and information on energy efficiency opportunities and planned actions.

Thus, a new market segment emerges, with new service providers and obligations for the companies included in the CCGE list.

Moreover, it must be noted that the Superintendency of Electricity and Fuels will oversee this law.