The coal crisis andthe bocaminathermoelectric power plant in chile: a case of reverse energy transition

The article explores a case of reverse energy transition evi-denced from the construction of the Bocamina thermoelectric power station in the coal mining zone of Concepcion region, Chile, during the 1960s. The case demonstrates how, in a con-text where hydroelectricity experienced a boom promoted by the State, coal was revitalized after being discarded as a viable option for electrical production. The construction of the Bo-camina Power Plant demonstrates the complex interactions between political, labour, geological and climatic agents, al-lowing a non-linear understanding of energy transition pro-cesses.