Nueva Aldea I (ex Itata) — Chile

Nueva Aldea I (ex Itata) is a 14 MW biomass power plant in Biobio, Chile. It is operated by PANELES ARAUCO S.A.. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 19k homes (estimated). It ranks #203 of 336 Chile power plants by installed capacity. In context, biomass supplies about 5.7% of Chile's electricity; the national grid averages 289 gCO₂/kWh (66.4% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id CHL0003021.

Data provenance

Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.

capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 14 MW, Nueva Aldea I (ex Itata) is around the median biomass plant in Chile (14 MW). Biomass plants burn organic material such as wood, residues or waste-derived fuel to raise steam; they are dispatchable and counted as low-carbon where the feedstock is sustainably sourced.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Share of Chile biomass capacity

3.6% of 384 MW across 22 plants in this dataset

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Capacity vs largest biomass plants in Chile

Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by PANELES ARAUCO S.A..

Local climate & thermal context

This biomass plant burns organic material (wood, residues) to raise steam for a turbine. It sits in a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 36.7°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

Heating degree-days here run 30% below the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.

Climate heat-demand index: 38/100 — this site sits in the mid third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

This site sits in a corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), with marine corrosion the leading environmental stress.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #11 largest biomass power plant of 22 in Chile by capacity.

Chile has 22 biomass power plants in this dataset, together about 384 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• NUEVA ALDEA II · Oil · 10 MW · Biobio
• Nueva Aldea III · Biomass · 37 MW · Biobio
• El Campesino power station · Gas · 640 MW · Ñuble
• Coelemu · Biomass · 7.1 MW · Biobio
• Tierra Noble power station · Gas · 600 MW · Biobío
• Masisa · Biomass · 11 MW · Biobio

Location

Coordinates -36.6597, -72.4731 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions