Astronomers Celebrate Cancellation of $10 Billion Chile Project That Threatened World’s Clearest Skies
Astronomers around the world are celebrating a major victory for science after Chile officially cancelled a massive industrial project that posed a serious threat to the clearest night skies on Earth. The decision to withdraw the proposed INNA green hydrogen and ammonia facility in Chile’s Atacama Desert has been welcomed as a crucial step in protecting one of the most important regions for ground-based astronomy.
The Atacama Desert is globally renowned for its dry climate, high altitude, and minimal light pollution—conditions that make it unmatched for observing the universe.
Why the INNA Project Alarmed the Scientific Community
The INNA project was a $10 billion megaproject planned across 3,000 hectares, featuring a large industrial facility, a port, transport infrastructure to the coast, and three solar power plants. While marketed as a green energy initiative, astronomers warned that its proximity to major observatories would have caused irreversible damage to scientific research.
For nearly a year, the project was under review by Chile’s environmental evaluation service, during which astronomers repeatedly raised red flags. Experts explained that the facility would have introduced light pollution, ground vibrations, airborne dust, and atmospheric turbulence—all of which are extremely harmful to sensitive telescope instruments.
“These impacts would have significantly hampered observations in the ideal spot for ground-based astronomy on Earth.
” scientists warned.
Protecting the Paranal and Future of Astronomy
The proposed INNA facility would have been located just 11.6 kilometers from the Paranal Observatory, home to the Very Large Telescope (VLT). Built at 2,600 meters above sea level, the VLT has played a role in research that has earned three Nobel Prizes.
Nearby, on Cerro Armazones, construction is underway for the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT)—set to become the largest and most powerful optical telescope ever built. Once completed, the ELT will allow astronomers to study distant galaxies and search for Earth-like exoplanets that may support life.
“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. However, she also stressed that the battle is not over, calling for stronger long-term protections around Chile’s astronomical sites.
Scientists’ Advocacy Made the Difference
An open letter published in December, led by 2020 Nobel Prize winner Reinhard Genzel, urged the Chilean government to halt the project. The letter highlighted that there was no technical necessity to place the facility so close to the observatories, given the potentially devastating consequences for global astronomy.
Following meetings with AES Andes, the subsidiary of US-based AES Corporation that proposed the project, Chile’s environmental regulator confirmed that the plan had been formally withdrawn. While AES Andes declined direct comment, it stated that it had decided to cease execution of the INNA project after a portfolio review.
A Wake-Up Call for Sky Protection
Although the cancellation is being widely celebrated, scientists say it also serves as a warning. Chile’s pristine skies are increasingly attractive not only to astronomers but also to energy and industrial developers.
The INNA case has underlined the urgent need for clear legal protections to safeguard astronomical sites that are vital not just to Chile, but to humanity’s understanding of the universe.
