Guacolda Energía

What Guacolda Energía does

Guacolda Energía SpA is a privately held Chilean power generation company that operates the Guacolda thermoelectric power plant in Huasco, Atacama Region. Founded in the early 1990s and 100% owned since July 2021 by Capital Advisors through El Águila Energy II SpA, the company is the largest thermoelectric operator in Chile with 760 MW of installed coal-fired capacity across five generating units plus a 58 MW gas turbine. The plant supplies electricity to regulated tariff customers, free mining-industrial clients, and free commercial clients across Chile, primarily in the northern-central zone, through Chile's National Electric System.

The company's underlying technology is a coal-fired generation platform augmented by advanced emission control infrastructure — bag filters, desulfurizers, and denitrifiers — installed under a US$300 million environmental upgrade completed in 2016 to comply with Chile's Emissions Standard for Thermoelectric Plants. Guacolda is currently pursuing a green ammonia co-combustion initiative in partnership with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MOU signed 2022, MHI feasibility study completed 2023-2024, burner implementation targeted 2025-2026), aligned with Acción 53 of Chile's Plan de Acción Hidrógeno Verde 2023-2030. The company has approximately 210 direct employees and over 700 specialized contractors, and supports more than 3,000 people economically in the Huasco province.

Revenue is generated primarily through the sale of electricity under regulated tariffs, long-term bilateral contracts with mining-industrial customers, and spot market participation in the National Electric System. The company does not publicly disclose contract pricing or unit economics. In 2023, Guacolda restructured its debt by exchanging US$190.45 million of 4.560% Senior Notes due 2025 for new 10.000% Senior Notes due 2030, and reduced dispatch on units 1-3 to a technical minimum of 38 MW to accommodate higher renewable energy contribution in the grid.

Name

Guacolda Energía

Legal name

Guacolda Energía SpA

Website

https://guacoldaenergia.cl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Guacolda Energía SpA operates Chile's largest thermoelectric power plant in Huasco, generating and selling 760 MW of coal-fired electricity to regulated, mining-industrial, and commercial clients across Chile's National Electric System.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Power Generation

NAICS

Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation (221112), Electric Power Generation (22111)

SIC

Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro primary industry

Utility-Scale Power Generation Asset Management (EUAEAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Thermal Power Plant EPC (Gas/Coal/Oil) (EUAEAAAA)

Keywords

• Coal-fired power generation
• Thermoelectric electricity generation
• Baseload power supply
• Industrial electricity supply
• Power generation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Las Condes

HQ country

Chile

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Electricity Generation and Sales: Guacolda Energía generates and sells electricity through its 760 MW coal-fired thermoelectric plant in Huasco, Atacama Region. The company supplies both regulated clients (subject to regulated tariffs under Chilean law) and free clients (mining-industrial and commercial customers) throughout Chile. Revenue is derived from electricity sales under contract and spot market participation in the National Electric System (SEN).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Guacolda Energía SpA generates and sells electricity through its coal-fired Guacolda thermoelectric power plant in Huasco, Atacama Region. The five-unit plant, with 760 MW installed capacity plus a 58 MW gas turbine, supplies baseload power to regulated, mining-industrial, and commercial clients throughout Chile's National Electric System.

Product overview

Guacolda Energía SpA is a single-product electricity-generation company. Its sole core offering is the Guacolda Thermoelectric Power Plant — a coal-fired facility in Huasco, Atacama Region, comprising five generating units with advanced emissions-control technology and a combined installed capacity of 760 MW plus a 58 MW turbine-generator (TG). The plant operates as a base-load (24×7) power producer, supplying both regulated and free (mining-industrial and commercial) clients throughout Chile. No modular products, add-ons, or sub-brands are offered beyond the power plant itself. The company is also exploring a green ammonia co-combustion project to reduce CO2 emissions as part of its energy-transition strategy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Guacolda Thermoelectric Power Plant

Quantifiable outcome

• Since 2017, all air quality indicators in Huasco improved substantially, staying below maximum limits. As of 2022, Huasco commune no longer in latency zone for particulate matter MP10.
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022In 2022, Guacolda signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to assess the feasibility of co-firing green ammonia at the thermoelectric plant. During 2023-2024, MHI conducted a study on the supply of burners and other necessary equipment for 30% green ammonia co-combustion in 2 of 5 units, with no issues detected. Currently, a burner based on these results is being developed, with implementation planned for 2025-2026.
• Atacama Health ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Atacama Health Service for the construction of the first dialysis center for Huasco, in alliance with the Huasco Municipality, for the benefit of the entire local territory.
• Huasco MunicipalityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Huasco Municipality for the construction of the first dialysis center for Huasco, in alliance with Atacama Health Service, for the benefit of the entire local territory.
• Local Green Ammonia DevelopercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgreement with a developer driving a local green ammonia production project, positioning Guacolda as a strategic enabler in the development and export of green ammonia in the Atacama region and its distribution in the local market.
• Council for Environmental and Social Recovery of Huasco (CRAS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive participation in the Council for the Environmental and Social Recovery of Huasco (CRAS), working on compliance with measures outlined in the Environmental and Social Recovery Program (PRAS), boosting local economic development, education, heritage, and health.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/guacolda-energia

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Guacolda Energía