Chile's Los Ríos region faces a 6.2% electricity bill rise in 2027 despite the national cut, with two wind farms stalled

Electricity bills in Los Ríos, in southern Chile, would rise 6.2% from January 2027, against an average national cut of 4.3%, according to the National Energy Commission's (CNE) preliminary technical report. It is the biggest increase among the three regions that will not get a cut, ahead of Los Lagos (4.9%) and Magallanes (2.4%).

The regional energy secretary (*seremi*) of Los Ríos, Juan Manuel Taladriz Eguiluz, attributed the rise to congestion on transmission networks and the delayed expansion of the Cautín-Ciruelos line, and said attracting investment and unlocking generation projects is key to containing tariffs, according to the Ministry of Energy. Two wind farms totalling more than 360 MW in the region are stalled for lack of financing.

The preliminary report on the average node price, published by the CNE on 15 October, projects cuts in 13 of Chile's 16 regions for a residential customer on the BT1 tariff. The final version is due in November, so the figures may still change. These are the regions at either end:

The full table for all 16 regions and how the price is calculated is in our report on the 4.3% cut in power bills. The biggest driver is the price of each distributor's supply contracts and the dollar rate they are indexed to.

What the rise means in pesos

The ministry reported percentages, not amounts. As a reference, on a CLP 50,000 monthly bill a 6.2% rise would mean about CLP 3,100 more per month and around CLP 18,600 over six months. This is our own estimate for a hypothetical bill; the real effect depends on each household's consumption and distributor.

The official explanation points to the grid. When the lines bringing power from the north and centre are congested, the south relies on more expensive local supply and costs rise. The expansion of the Cautín-Ciruelos line, between La Araucanía and Los Ríos, was meant to ease that bottleneck, but the works are delayed.

“Postponing energy infrastructure creates costs that households end up paying,” Taladriz said, as reported by Revista Electricidad. “We need to produce more energy close to where it is consumed and reduce pressure on the grid,” he added.

The problem is not limited to the south. A Deloitte study estimated that 6,205 GWh of renewable energy was lost in 2025 because transmission could not cope, as we reported in Deloitte's diagnosis of Chile's transmission grid. In the north there is surplus solar power that cannot reach consumers; in the south, there is not enough capacity to bring it in.

According to the Ministry of Energy, the region has concrete projects that could produce power close to consumers, but several are stalled for lack of financing:

Together, Caman and Ovejera Sur total about 364 MW. “Los Ríos has concrete projects and enormous energy potential,” the secretary said. The government is also preparing a broader overhaul of grid regulation, covered in Chile's power grid reform.

The region already got relief this year. The Ordenemos la Cuenta law cut the projected increase for Los Ríos and Los Lagos in the second half of 2026 from 19% to 4.7%, according to the Ministry of Energy. That benefit is one reason for the January rise: the starting point was already lower than in other regions.

The electricity subsidy will continue in 2027. Eligible families can apply when the government opens calls. The secretary said short-term measures to soften the impact on households are being worked on, along with long-term solutions.

While the tariff rises, each household's leeway is in consumption. In the south, the biggest winter power costs usually come from electric heating and hot water. These are the measures with the most impact:

• Check the bill and compare kWh consumption month by month to spot unjustified increases.
• Heat with a heat pump (inverter split) instead of resistance heaters: it delivers about three times more heat per kWh.
• Set the electric water heater to 55 °C and switch it off when not used for several days.
• Switch to LED the bulbs that stay on longest.

To read the bill and know what each kWh costs, see our guide to how much electricity a house uses in Chile, with average consumption and what is paid by distributor.

How much will electricity rise in Los Ríos?

6.2% from January 2027, according to the CNE's preliminary report. The final figure will be known in November.

Why does it rise in Los Ríos if it falls nationally?

Because of transmission congestion, the delayed Cautín-Ciruelos line, and because the region already benefited from the Ordenemos la Cuenta law in the second half of 2026.

Which other regions will see increases?

Los Lagos (4.9%) and Magallanes (2.4%). The other 13 regions would see cuts.

Will the electricity subsidy continue in 2027?

Yes. The Ministry of Energy said it continues in 2027; in 2026 it reached more than 50,000 households in Los Ríos.