On December 31, the Chilean Ministry of Public Works (MOP) announced tenders for two transformative projects totaling $480 million: the Coquimbo Region Desalination Plant and a National Tsunami Warning System.
Fulfilling a commitment by President Gabriel Boric, the call for tenders for the Coquimbo Desalination Plant has been officially published in the Official Gazette. Approved by the Comptroller General on December 30, the plant will be developed in Ensenada de Panul to provide a sustainable water source for 460,000 residents in La Serena and Coquimbo. This initiative responds to a decade-and-a-half water crisis severely impacting the region.
The project, overseen by MOP’s General Directorate of Concessions, was prioritized by President Boric during a visit earlier this year. It has a budget of UF 8,195,000 (approximately $350 million) and aims to start receiving bids by July 10, 2025. Economic proposals will be opened on August 21, 2025, with construction projected to begin in 2026 and operations starting in 2029.
Minister of Public Works Jessica López emphasized the importance of this initiative: “This is a long-awaited project and a key commitment of our government to the Coquimbo region. The tender marks a significant step toward economic reactivation and ensures water security for residents and visitors alike.”
General Director of Concessions Juan Manuel Sánchez praised the accelerated timeline: “Developing the tender bases in under a year is a remarkable achievement. This project will play a crucial role in alleviating the region’s 14-year water crisis, significantly improving drinking water access in Coquimbo and La Serena.”
The plant will have an initial production capacity of 800 liters per second, with the potential to scale up to 1,200 liters per second. Seawater will be drawn through an open intake at depth, treated, and transformed into potable water for multipurpose use. Construction is expected to generate approximately 1,000 monthly jobs.
The concession encompasses design, construction, conservation, maintenance, and operation, aiming to reduce reliance on existing water sources and strengthen the region’s water sustainability.
The second project, a National Tsunami Early Warning System, has also been tendered in the Official Gazette. This groundbreaking initiative will establish a network of sound and visual warning stations, supported by redundant communication systems and centralized control centers across all 16 regions of Chile, including the Metropolitan Region.
Minister Jessica López highlighted the system’s significance: “This innovative project will directly benefit coastal communities nationwide. We anticipate awarding the concession by late 2025, with construction beginning in 2027 and operations starting in 2029.”
General Director Sánchez added: “The system’s comprehensive alarm network, supported by regional and national control centers, will significantly enhance our capacity to respond to emergencies.”
With a budget of UF 2,915,000 (approximately $131.2 million), the project is scheduled to receive bids by August 22, 2025, and open economic proposals on September 26, 2025. During the construction phase, the project is expected to generate an average of 375 monthly jobs.
The system includes 1,029 sirens, comprising 1,003 new units and the modernization of 26 existing ones. Each siren will be installed on an 11-meter steel pole equipped with solar panels and energy storage batteries. These devices will emit a powerful sound wave, alerting residents to evacuate to designated safe zones.
Activation of the alarms will be managed remotely by SENAPRED (National Emergency Office of Chile) through regional offices or its central office in Santiago, ensuring robust nationwide coverage and redundancy.
