The Argentine ambassador to Chile, Jorge Marcelo Faurie ; acknowledged to Chilean press media that there was indeed an error in the location of the solar panel structures donated by the oil company Total to the Argentine Navy, installed this summer in Hito 1, a strategic point in Argentina, at the southeastern mouth of the Strait of Magellan; northern vertex of the Big Island of Tierra del Fuego.
After diplomatic complaints and reproaches from the neighboring country, the government officially admitted the existence of an energy structure of solar panels that invades 3 meters into Chilean territory. But he said that it will not be possible to remedy it until the arrival of summer, until the weather conditions are favorable to carry out that task.
“It was a material error because whoever installed the solar panels is a company that donated those panels (…) was guided by a fence from a room in the area. In reality, he should have been guided by the satellite coordinates that demarcate boundaries,” Faurie was honest in conversation with Radio Bío Bío ; although so far he has not explained the reason why they did not consult the Chilean authorities.
Given this, he explained that “the issue is that moving them, at this time, would not be possible. “We would have to wait for the summer.”
The solution proposed by Argentina
In an attempt to remedy the error, Argentina proposed, in order not to modify the construction and have a more “friendly” solution between both countries ; is to share the use of the energy provided by the panels.
"We are considering and talking with the Chilean authorities that those panels that are electricity providers could also supply the Chilean side, which would be useful for the garrison they have there ," he assured.
Faurie asked to put cold cloths. He argued that “it is not such an impressive work, it is some solar panels placed but they did not check carefully what the coordinates were that marked the limit.”
In the same medium, the ambassador recalled that these panels are part of the new facilities of the Argentine Navy in Hito 1. “They came to renovate the Maritime Traffic Surveillance and Control Post (PVYCTM) Hito 1. On this occasion, they received a 'donation' of two housing modules by the Mirgor Foundation and energy equipment provided by the company Total Energies. These were installed close to the border with Chile, and part of that construction, added to the photovoltaic screens that provide electricity and autonomy to the Argentine military,” he explained.
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