Marubeni Corporation (hereinafter, “Marubeni”), through Aguas Horizonte SpA (hereinafter, “AH”), a special purpose company Marubeni invested in together with Transelec Holdings Rentas Limitada (hereinafter, “Transelec”), is implementing a desalination and water transmission project for Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile (hereinafter, “CODELCO”). On June 28, 2023, AH held a site visit ceremony to the desalination plant construction site, which is 14 km south of Tocopilla City in the Antofagasta Region of Chile, to further strengthen relationships with the surrounding local communities and partners.

The ceremony was attended by over 300 people, including representatives from CODELCO, local authorities, local communities, contractors, and other relevant parties. Key participants included Mr. Maximo Pacheco Matte (Chairman of the Board of CODELCO), Mr. André Sougarret (Executive President of CODELCO), Ms. Ljubica Kurtovic Cortés (Mayor of Tocopilla), Mr. Arturo Le Blanc (CEO of Transelec), Mr. Carlos Bacher (Chairman of Techint E&C, EPC Contractor), and Mr. Oscar Scarpari (CEO of Techint E&C). The ceremony reaffirmed the importance of the project, which contributes to a sustainable future, and featured local folk dance and traditional music performances by the participating local communities.

 

 

Mr. Yoshiaki Yokota, Managing Executive Officer and Chief Executive Officer of the Energy & Infrastructure Solution Group of Marubeni, joined the ceremony and commented, “Marubeni’s strategy is to be a forerunner in green business for a sustainable future. I believe the successful development of this project is very important for us, for CODELCO, and for the local communities, and will serve as a model case in Chile for a desalinated water supply to multiple mines, which in turn allows the conservation of continental water for human use, as well as contributes to a sustainable mining operation which is essential for a stable production of copper necessary for a sustainable society. Such great projects contributing to a greener sustainable future are core areas where Marubeni is willing to actively invest, develop, and contribute further in the region, in collaboration with its partners.” 

This is the first large-scale shared water infrastructure project in Chile to efficiently transport desalinated water to multiple large-scale copper mines. The desalinated capacity is approximately 70,000 cubic meters per day, with plans to expand to approximately 170,000 cubic meters per day in future. Through AH, Marubeni will ensure onsite safety and biodiversity conservation, as well as give consideration to the local communities and fishing industry, while also contributing to regional revitalization through job creation.

Marubeni has been developing desalination plants since the 1990s in various countries, currently operating plants with a total global production capacity of nearly 2.5 million cubic meters per day. Marubeni is a global leader in the water sector, currently providing drinking water services and wastewater treatment services for approximately 18 million people worldwide, including nearly 1.75 million people in Chile, where Marubeni serves as the country’s third largest water company.

 

 

Related Press Release:
Mar. 29, 2023
Conclusion of a Loan Agreement and Start of Construction under a Long-Term Water Sale Agreement for a Desalination and Water Transmission Project for the National Copper Corporation of Chile
https://www.marubeni.com/en/news/2023/release/00036.html

Reference:
Marubeni’s Sustainability Website: Environment—Water Management 
https://marubeni.disclosure.site/en/themes/18/
Marubeni’s Sustainability Website: Environment—Conservation of Biodiversity and Habitats 
https://marubeni.disclosure.site/en/themes/17/