"Eviction of the community against the construction of the Rucalhue hydroelectric power plant in Biobío" - 27 July 2021

On Monday morning, residents opposed to the construction of the Rucalhue hydroelectric power plant in the Biobío Region were evicted. The protesters seized the land located in the Los Junquillos sector on 15 February this year... The hydroelectric plant would be built on the BioBío river on the border between the municipalities of Santa Bárbara and Quilaco. The eviction was requested by China's International Water and Electric Corporation and approved by Judge Josué Martínez Pinto...The Beijing-based firm was founded in 1983 as a subsidiary of the state-owned China Three Gorges Corporation. CWE focuses on international small and medium-scale hydroelectric projects...The Rucalhue hydroelectric plant is a project located on the Biobío River that aims to provide energy to 140,000 inhabitants of the area. Billed as a "clean and renewable" solution, this project harnesses the power of water to provide energy in an efficient and environmentally friendly way...However, there are many people who oppose the development of this project. At least 10 environmental organisations are fighting to prevent the Rucalhue hydroelectric plant from being built on the Quilme and Biobío rivers, the latter affected by at least 17 other hydroelectric plants which, according to research by the University of Concepción (UdeC), were operating in the basin as of 2016, with Pangue, Ralco and Angostura being some of the most emblematic.