Chile's households and small businesses have their electricity contracted until 2029. That is the conclusion of the Final Technical Report on Supply Tenders by the National Energy Commission (CNE), which sets the next calls that distribution companies must make. According to the report, covered by Electrominería on October 2, existing contracts are *"sufficient to supply all regulated demand until 2029"*.
From 2030, a shortfall opens up and grows every year. To cover it, the CNE considers it necessary to continue the 2026/01 tender and expects at least two more tenders over the next four years.
What regulated supply is and why it is tendered
Regulated customers are those whose connected capacity is below the threshold that allows them to negotiate freely with a generator: in practice, households and most small businesses. Their energy is bought by distribution companies through public tenders run by the CNE, in which generators offer long-term prices. The outcome of those tenders explains much of the energy charge on the electricity bill.
The energy shortfall from 2030
The report projects how much energy still needs to be contracted each year. The shortfall starts at just 84 GWh in 2030 and reaches 4,819 GWh in 2036:
| Year | Projected contracting shortfall (GWh) |
|---|---|
| 2030 | 84 |
| 2031 | 386 |
| 2032 | 1,054 |
| 2033 | 1,932 |
| 2034 | 2,915 |
| 2035 | 3,864 |
| 2036 | 4,819 |
For scale: 4,819 GWh is about 15% of the regulated demand the CNE projects for 2030 (32,883 GWh). It is energy that does not yet have a signed contract.
How much regulated demand will grow
The CNE projects regulated demand rising from 30,505 GWh in 2026 to more than 41,250 GWh in 2045. The projection includes the effects of energy efficiency, electric mobility and distributed generation, meaning rooftop solar.
| Year | Projected regulated demand (GWh) |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 30,505 |
| 2030 | 32,883 |
| 2040 | 38,410 |
| 2045 | More than 41,250 |
Electric mobility is one of the drivers: every electric car charged at home adds regulated consumption. See electric car prices in Chile for how the market is growing.
What it means for the electricity bill
Having supply contracted until 2029 brings stability: the price of household energy depends on contracts already signed. New tenders, by contrast, will set the energy price from 2030 based on what generators offer, and the amount of solar, wind and storage competing for those contracts will matter.
The current price of each kWh, district by district, is in the price of electricity per kWh in Chile by city and utility.
Next steps
- 2026/01 tender: the CNE considers it necessary to continue the process during 2026 to cover the shortfall from 2030.
- More tenders: the CNE expects at least two additional public calls over the next four years.
- Storage: batteries are already part of the system and allow solar energy to be supplied at night. See how fast they are growing in Chile surpasses 3,000 MW of battery storage.
The system is also being reinforced in transmission: the CNE has just approved urgent works in southern Chile, as we report in the 2026 urgent transmission works.
Does your company take part in supply tenders or develop renewable projects? Reach the industry on Energía Futura.
See advertising optionsRegulated and free customers: the difference
Not all consumers buy energy the same way. Chilean law distinguishes them by connected capacity:
| Customer type | Connected capacity | How it buys energy |
|---|---|---|
| Regulated | Up to 500 kW | Through its distribution company, at prices set by the tenders |
| Can choose | Between 500 kW and 5,000 kW | Can opt to be regulated or free |
| Free | More than 5,000 kW | Negotiates directly with a generator (a mining company, for example) |
That is why the CNE's tenders matter so much to households: they set the energy price for millions of customers who cannot negotiate on their own.
How a supply tender works
- Projection: the CNE estimates how much energy regulated customers will need in the coming years, as in this month's report.
- Rules: the energy blocks, timelines and tender conditions are defined.
- Bids: generation companies offer prices for those blocks.
- Award: the most competitive bids win, and long-term contracts are signed with the distribution companies.
- Pass-through to tariffs: the price of those contracts is reflected in the energy charge on the electricity bill.
What drives household electricity demand
Regulated demand would grow by about 35% between 2026 and 2045, according to CNE figures (from 30,505 GWh to more than 41,250 GWh). Three factors pull it in different directions:
| Factor | Effect on demand | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Electric mobility | Increases it | Every electric car charged at home adds consumption |
| Energy efficiency | Reduces it | More efficient appliances use less to do the same job |
| Distributed generation | Reduces it | Rooftop panels cover part of household consumption |
If you are thinking about generating your own energy, see what a home solar kit includes.
Frequently asked questions
Until when is household electricity supply secured in Chile?
Until 2029, according to the CNE's final technical report on supply tenders.
What is the 2026/01 tender?
The supply tender process that the CNE considers necessary to continue in 2026 to cover regulated demand from 2030.
How much energy still needs to be contracted?
The shortfall starts at 84 GWh in 2030 and reaches 4,819 GWh in 2036.
Who are regulated customers?
Mainly households and small businesses, which buy their energy through their distribution company.
