In September 2022, Antofagasta plc said in a press release that severe sea swells had overturned a construction platform on the marine works of the Los Pelambres desalination plant on 15 August. The company reported no significant environmental impact or damage to the works and had recovered some equipment. As the swells continued, Chile's environmental regulator SMA ordered on 9 September that marine works stop until sunk equipment carrying fuel or lubricants had been cleared. Antofagasta saw no material impact on the completion date so far.
The report showed how much the offshore construction of a desalination plant depends on weather and environmental conditions: one platform accident was enough for the regulator to halt marine works as a precaution.
Source: Antofagasta plc