Peru wants to plug its surplus sunshine into Chile — instead of switching it off

Peru's southern deserts are producing more solar power than the country can use — generation reached 1,442 GWh in the first half of 2026, up 87% on the year — while northern Chile regularly has to switch off its own surplus sun and wind. Energy and Mines Minister Guillermo Shinno has now proposed reviving talks on a 1,000 MW power line linking the two grids. An IDB-commissioned study estimates the link could carry 3,600–5,700 GWh a year in both directions, worth about $170 million annually in shared benefits. 'The interconnection is on the agenda,' Shinno said; the two countries meet on November 29. It is a proposal, not yet a project — but wasted sunshine needs a destination, and this would give it one.

SDG 7 · Affordable and clean energy — Mechanism: policy reform