A proposed $10 billion industrial complex in Chile’s Atacama Desert, which astronomers warned would irreparably damage observation conditions at some of the world’s most powerful telescopes, has been cancelled, according to announcements made this week.
The project, known as INNA, was slated to cover 3,000 hectares and include a port, transport links, and three solar power plants. It had been under review by Chilean environmental regulators for nearly a year. AES Andes, the company proposing the facility, formally withdrew the project following meetings with Chile’s environmental evaluation service last week.
Astronomers expressed relief at the decision, citing concerns that the facility would generate light pollution, cause ground vibrations affecting sensitive instruments, and increase atmospheric turbulence. Dust generated by construction and operation was likewise a significant worry, as it could settle on the mirrors of precision telescopes. “This cancellation means that the INNA project will no longer have a negative impact on the Paranal Observatory,” said Itziar de Gregorio, the European Southern Observatory’s (ESO) representative in Chile.
The Paranal Observatory, home to the Very Large Telescope (VLT), has been instrumental in astronomical discoveries that have earned three Nobel prizes. Nearby, construction continues on the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), which will be the largest and most powerful telescope ever built. The ELT is designed to study distant galaxies and search for Earth-like exoplanets.
Despite the positive outcome for astronomy, de Gregorio emphasized the need for ongoing protective measures. “However, what this megaproject has brought to the table is the urgent need for clear protection measures around the sites where professional astronomy is carried out in Chile. This cancellation does not mean that the work to protect the skies is over.”
An open letter published in December, spearheaded by 2020 Nobel laureate Reinhard Genzel, had urged the Chilean government to halt the project, noting its proximity – just 11.6km – to the Paranal Observatory. The letter highlighted the potential for catastrophic consequences for astronomical research.
AES Andes, a subsidiary of US-based AES Corporation, declined to provide a statement beyond a press release indicating the decision to cease the INNA project was made after a portfolio analysis. The company stated the project was “absolutely compatible” with other activities in the area.
