Santiago, January 12, 2026 — Chile’s National Economic Prosecutor’s Office (FNE) has submitted recommendations to the Tribunal for the Defense of Free Competition (TDLC) aimed at strengthening transparency and competition in electricity connection and expansion processes.
The submission was made in the context of a consultation brought by the Association of Real Estate Developers (ADI) and the Chilean Chamber of Construction (CChC) regarding the Technical Standard for Quality of Service for Electricity Distribution Systems, issued in 2024 by the National Energy Commission (CNE).
After reviewing procedures for connecting and expanding new electricity supplies, the FNE highlighted that the legal monopoly nature of electricity distribution, combined with the central role of distribution companies, creates competition risks where clear rules, effective oversight, and enforceable deadlines are lacking. These risks are particularly relevant in markets involving third parties, such as electrical installers.
According to an analysis conducted by the FNE’s Antitrust Division, identified risks include information asymmetries, discretionary decisions over required works and timelines, limited transparency in budgets and contracts, and conflicts arising from distributors simultaneously performing certification functions and offering potentially competitive services.
While the FNE acknowledged progress resulting from the standardisation introduced by the 2024 technical standard, it concluded that further improvements are needed to ensure efficiency and competitive conditions.
The authority therefore proposed measures to enhance transparency, objectivity, and traceability, including clearer definitions of regulated services, alignment of deadlines and responsibilities, stronger sectoral oversight, and greater facilitation of third-party participation in services that can be competitively supplied.
The FNE concluded that a clearer and more enforceable regulatory framework would help mitigate abuse risks, promote system efficiency, and protect competition for the benefit of applicants and end consumers.
