Anglo: If power supply is not guaranteed, “the whole industry in Chile” will face problems
29-Nov-2012 Diario Financiero – News
Felipe Purcell, Vice-President of Marketing, stated that securing supply is not only a mining-related issue
Anglo American has made known their concern for the energy shortage in the country and warned that the whole industry in Chile will be in trouble if no quick measures are taken to secure power supply and set competitive energy prices.
“This is a permanent point of concern (energy cost) and we are working with the authorities to define the best possible way to guarantee energy supply at competitive price. If not, we will be dealing with competitiveness problems not only in mining industry but in the whole industry in Chile”, Anglo American’s Vice-President of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Felipe Purcell, stated during the opening ceremony of Quilapilún Explorer Park, a joint-effort of the British mining company and the Ministry of Housing.
Notwithstanding, the executive dismissed, at the moment, the implementation of any own-generation project.
“Energy-related alternatives are always being evaluated, but now we are supplied through long-term contracts with generators in the country”, he asserted.
Working with Codelco
Purcell also took the opportunity to refer to the joint-effort they are developing with the state-owned Codelco.
“We are doing a very good work wit Codelco. Yesterday we held a Board of Directors meeting and we have common goals, we are working very close looking for the best way to optimize value in the operations of American Sur”, he asserted.
On this respect, he repeated that addition of Los Bronces “is not a subject under discussion”.
“Today Codelco is a shareholder in Anglo American Sur and, consequently, we are working together as members of the Board of Directors in all matters regarding the assets operation in Anglo American Sur”, he explained.
Investors Pressure
As regards to the pressures some Anglo investors have made for the company to improve its results, the executive has said that there are always new ways to improve operations.
“We are always endeavoring to enhance our operations, improve costs control, increase production (…) Our Asset of Optimization programs are always providing new alternatives to improve the way we run our operations”, he said.
Purcell also stated that the company will be closing 2012 with “a little higher production than last year”.
