Chile-based Codelco and French-Belgium-based Suez have announced that they will start construction of a natural gas regasification plant in March of this year. The project in the northern port city of Mejillones is seen as a key step in the government’s efforts to reduce the country’s dependence on imported energy. The companies said in a communique that environmental regulators have unanimously approved their GNL Mejillones project, which is expected to start production in late 2009 or early 2010. Its production capacity is planned at 5.5 million cum a day. The area where the plant will be located is in the heart of Chile’s mining region, and several private companies and Codelco’s largest copper mines have already signed contracts for the purchase of gas from GNL Mejillones.