Codelco obtains renewal of maritime concession in Caleta Viuda

Concession renewed until 2056 for desalination plant in the north

The Ministry of National Defense, through the Undersecretary for the Armed Forces and the Chilean Navy, published on August 17, 2026, in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Chile, No. 44,526, the excerpt of Supreme Decree No. 49, of May 7, 2026, which grants Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile (RUT 61.704.000-K) the first renewal with modification of a major maritime concession in Caleta Viuda, commune and province of Tocopilla, Antofagasta Region, expiring on December 31, 2056.

The decree, processed by the Tocopilla Harbor Master’s Office, consolidated two administrative procedures —CM-00353-2025 and CM-01160-2025— concerning a renewal with modification request and a transfer request, both based on Supreme Decree No. 280, of 2015, as amended by Supreme Decree No. 225, of 2022.

Infrastructure covered by the concession

The concession covers a sector of beach land, beach, and seabed at a point of 41,880.61 m², with the following reference geographic coordinates:

• Latitude: 22°11'38.0374" S
• Longitude: 70°13'26.0910" W

The area supports the operation of the following components:

• An underwater outfall for the discharge of brine and effluents from a Desalination Plant.
• Two saltwater intake pipelines and their intake chambers.
• A bilge pump room and a loading chamber composed of brine discharge pipelines, desalination plant effluents, seawater intake from the bilge, and intermediate pumping overflow.
• An energy recovery turbine.
• Ducts and electrical cables, an access road, and offices.

Transfer to Aguas Horizonte SpA

After granting the renewal to Codelco, the decree authorized the transfer of the concession and granted it to Aguas Horizonte SpA (RUT No. 77.565.191-1). This company will become the holder of the maritime concession and responsible for the described infrastructure until the expiration date in 2056.

Digital processing and public consultation

The records of both requests and the aforementioned decree are available to the public on the Chilean Navy’s digital processing platform at https://portalconcesiones.ssffaa.cl, and can also be viewed at the Tocopilla Harbor Master’s Office. The excerpt was signed by Cristian Peters Haedicke, Lieutenant Commander and Harbor Master of Tocopilla.

Relevance for water security in the north

The renewal of this concession guarantees the operational continuity of the desalination plant in one of the most arid areas of Chile, where the water supply for mining activity and local development increasingly depends on seawater desalination. The transfer to Aguas Horizonte SpA marks the entry of an operator specialized in water services into the management of desalination infrastructure in Tocopilla, and ensures the operation of the submarine outfall and its complementary systems for the next thirty years.

Source: Official Gazette of the Republic of Chile, No. 44,526, August 17, 2026, Section II, Particular Regulations (official reference: CVE 2850231).