Scholars from the Solar Energy Research Center (SERC Chile) commended the technical advances presented by the National Electricity Coordinator in its 2024 Public Report, as well as the institutional readiness to address critical challenges such as the February 25 blackout. Strengthening operational resilience, incorporating energy storage, and digitizing the system were among the points highlighted by the experts.

In its recent 2024 Public Report, the National Electricity Coordinator (CEN) reported significant progress in the transformation of the electricity system, highlighting milestones in the incorporation of renewable energy, the reduction of the emissions factor, the integration of technological tools for operations, and various measures aimed at addressing contingencies such as the blackout on February 25.

The event, led by CEN President Juan Carlos Olmedo and Executive Director Ernesto Huber, brought together officials from the energy sector, representatives from academia, industry associations, and civil society to review the system’s evolution and the structural challenges the country faces in terms of energy infrastructure and resilience.

In this regard, Rodrigo Barraza, a researcher at SERC Chile–UAI and director of the Center for Energy Transition (CENTRA UAI), praised the steady progress toward a cleaner energy mix, highlighting the 70% share of renewables in 2024, which made it possible to reduce the system’s emissions factor by nearly half compared to 2021. However, he cautioned that this process also poses growing challenges to the system’s security and reliability.

“The blackout on February 25 highlighted significant vulnerabilities, particularly the premature shutdown of renewable generation, which exacerbated the system’s imbalance. This event underscores the urgency of moving forward with measures to strengthen the resilience of the electric grid,” Barraza noted.

Strategic focuses

Among the strategic priorities mentioned by Barraza, the following stand out: the timely updating of technical standards, the accelerated adoption of storage technologies, and the development of capabilities to enable the system to operate autonomously in subsystems in the event of contingencies.

“In a country like Chile, which is highly exposed to extreme events, energy resilience must be viewed as a strategic investment that combines operational flexibility, robust infrastructure, and effective coordination among all stakeholders in the system. Strengthening this capacity will not only enable us to face future contingencies with greater resilience, but also ensure a safe, sustainable energy transition centered on people’s well-being,” added Barraza.

Along the same lines, Carlos Silva, a researcher at SERC Chile–UAI, emphasized that CEN’s annual report reflects the state of the art in the system’s operation and a clear commitment to continuous improvement. He also highlighted milestones in digitization, open access, and the integration of clean technologies.

“The agency quantified the organization’s achievements in opening up access to new generation and transmission projects, integrating energy storage, and contributing solar and wind energy to the system. Regarding this last point, it highlighted the contribution of renewable technologies in terms of energy and their growing share in the provision of complementary services (SSCC),” Silva explained.

Silva, in turn, added that the report also mentioned various technological tools that the CEN is integrating into the system's operations to enable the safe and efficient coordination of a growing number of generation units.

For researchers, the Public Report presented key data: a 20% decrease in emissions per MWh generated, growth in the share of solar and wind energy, and a reduction of nearly $1 billion in system operating costs.

Experts conclude that, while the CEN has made significant strides in digitization, the integration of renewable energy, and operational coordination, it will be essential to maintain strong technical governance and ensure regulatory compliance at all levels to consolidate a safe and sustainable energy transition.

Photos: National Electricity Coordinator (CEN)