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Enel Chile S.A. (ENIC)

Q3 2025 Earnings Call· Tue, Nov 4, 2025

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Transcript

Operator

Operator

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Enel Chile Third Quarter and 9 Months 2025 Results Conference Call. My name is Carmen, and I will be your operator for today. During this conference call, we may make statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements reflect only our current expectations, are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. These factors are described in Enel Chile's press release reporting its third quarter and 9 months 2025 results. The presentation accompanying this conference call and Enel Chile's annual report on Form 20-F, included under risk factors. You may access our third quarter and 9 months 2025 results press release and presentation on our website at www.enel.cl, and our 20-F on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on those forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates. Enel Chile undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements or to disclose any development as a result of which these forward-looking statements become inaccurate, except as required by law. I would now like to turn the presentation over to Ms. Isabela Klemes, Head of Investor Relations of Enel Chile. Please proceed.

Isabela Klemes

Operator

Good morning, and welcome to Enel Chile's 2025 Third Quarter and 9 Months Results Presentation. We greatly appreciate you taking the time to joining us today. My name is Isabela Klemes, and I'm the Head of Investor Relations. Joining me this morning is our CFO, Simone Conticelli. Our presentation and financial related information are available on our website, www.enel.cl in the Investors section as well as through our app investors. In addition, a replay of the call will be soon available. At the end of this presentation, there will be an opportunity to ask questions via webcast chat through the link Ask a Question. [Operator Instructions] Simone will kick off the presentation by covering key highlights of the period, our portfolio management actions, providing us updates on the regulatory context and an overview of our business economic and financial performance for the period. Thank you all for your attention. And now let me hand over the call to Simone. Simone?

Simone Conticelli

Analyst

Thank you, Isabela. Good morning, and thank you for your participation. Let's start the presentation with our main highlights of the period. Let's begin with portfolio management. We observed a high-level performance of our thermal generation fleet, which helped offset lower hydrological conditions during the quarter. This outcome reflects our ability to adapt to evolving market dynamics and maintain operational stability. In addition, our gas optimization activities continued to support our margin, reinforcing their strategic role in balancing our portfolio and mitigating exposure to spot market volatility. On the distribution side, we achieved successful implementation of the comprehensive winter plan aimed at strengthening grid's resilience and improving service continuity under challenging climate condition. Indeed, our performance in the period was one of the best in Chile. The winter plan included the deployment of emergency crews strategically positioned in high-risk areas, extensive vegetation management action and the installation of new telecontrol units to reduce restoration time. Additionally, targeted measures were implemented to support vulnerable customers, ensuring continuity of supply during adverse weather events. Now let's move on the Chilean regulatory context. With reference to the VAD 2024-2028, a key milestone was the publication in the last weeks of the consultant report followed by the preliminary regulatory technical report. I will give you more details about it. Furthermore, in October, was also released the preliminary regulated energy tariff report for the first half 2026. Now the generation association, of which Enel is a part of, is working with authorities regarding the outcomes of the report. Looking ahead, 2 regulated energy auctions are scheduled for the fourth quarter 2025. Let's now turn to business profitability. We closed the first 9 months of 2025 with a stable EBITDA compared to the previous year despite the difficult context and significantly lower hydrology, demonstrating the resilience…

Isabela Klemes

Operator

Thank you, Simone. Now let's move on to Q&A session. We will be taking questions via chat through the webcast. The Q&A session is now open. Okay. So Simone, the first question is coming from Rodrigo Mora from Moneda. Rodrigo has 4 questions, so I will be talking one by one, okay? So the first one is, what is the amount that Enel Chile must return to customers due to the miscalculation of the CNE included in the first half 2026 PNP report?

Simone Conticelli

Analyst

Okay. Thank you, Rodrigo. Just to give some context. So in the first half of October, the CNE explained that they have changed the formula for the calculation of the PNP. And so this change in the formula will have some impact. We have calculated the impact for Enel in an amount that is between $40 million and $45 million. So we have to expect a negative provision in terms of mainly financial costs. So the impact will be mainly in the financial items. And -- but in your question, you talked about customer, but in any case, just comment that the customers were impacted just for a small amount because just the 2% of the total amount of the changes was transferred to customer in the tariff. So this amount will be accrual by Enel in 2025, and then we will pay back. In this moment, the process is not so clear. But in any case, we expect in the first half of 2026. But the amount, we will have not impacted directly for the total value of the customer.

Isabela Klemes

Operator

Okay. Thank you, Simone. So the second question now is on Enel distribution. So what is the amount on to Enel's distribution Chile in connection to the VAD 2000, 2025, please?

Simone Conticelli

Analyst

So talking about the remuneration period of 2020, 2024, we are really not finalizing the last steps of the process. So the amount was ready to be defined. And what we are waiting is that the sector will say when we have to receive back the missing part. And the amount, in this case, is around $50 million, $55 million. There are 2 possibilities. If you want to be prudent, you can imagine that this the cashback can start middle of 2026, even if I remember interview of the new Minister of Energy that say the process can also be faster and start earlier.

Isabela Klemes

Operator

Okay. Thank you, Simone. So now let me check here. We have the third question. So the third question of Rodrigo now is on generation side on the LNG strategy. So could you please explain about your strategy regarding LNG and Argentina gas firm or interruptible? For the year 2026, how many ships do you plan to buy?

Simone Conticelli

Analyst

So as you know, for us, the gas business is very important business because we need gas for our thermal power plant, but also because we find during the year some creative opportunities to make margin to our gas contract. We have basically a long-term gas contract for LNG. And more or less, the volume for this contract for any addition in more than 32 teraBtu per year. And so in 2026, we'll keep on using this contract. In these very days, we are working -- we are negotiating Argentinian supplier to the new contract for Argentinian gas. And so in this moment, I cannot talk about this negotiation. The negotiation is ongoing as well and has not been finalized.

Isabela Klemes

Operator

Okay. Thank you, Simone. Now the last question of Rodrigo is regarding CapEx also on generation business. Regarding CapEx for generation, could you please give us an update for 2025? And actually, we also received the same question from balance as well.

Simone Conticelli

Analyst

So very well. Talking about this year's CapEx, as you know, we follow the plan with one exception that was the CapEx for the development of the new system because we recorded a little delay for this project and it was due to strategic reason. I mean we have the new piece of regulation related to BESS. I mean the regulation for the participation of BESS in the ancillary service market. And then we keep on starting the evolution of the market and the penetration of the BESS in the Chilean production system. So we started a little bit late in the project. And in the first 3 quarters, the amount of CapEx for this project was reduced compared to the expectation. But the projects have been already started are ongoing. And so you will see in the last quarter -- in total, talking about AGP and generation investment for more or less USD 150 million, USD 160 million. And a part of this investment will be the BESS, at least $50 million. And then we keep on growing also in investments on thermal fleet and how strategic is the thermal fleet. And of course, in case of low water in the system, our efficient CCGT plants are called to produce. And so we have to keep on these plans at the highest level of efficiency and performance.

Isabela Klemes

Operator

Okay. Thank you. And we have a final one. Sorry, Rodrigo. We have 5 questions from Rodrigo Mora. So the last one is on distribution side, okay? On distribution, could you outline the measures being taken to address the increasing energy losses?

Simone Conticelli

Analyst

Okay. Talking about losses in energy, we have discussed the losses getting higher in the last 2 years, started from 2023. And so in this moment, the percentage of losses is a bit higher than 6%, which is the reason -- can be many reasons, but the most important reason is the increase in the target. So the final customer. And so a little bit a change in EBIT related also to this increase in tariff. What we are doing? From one side, we are increasing the activity to recover these losses. And so we have recovered more than expected in the initial planning related to losses. And on the other side, we are making other action, for example, launching flexible payment plans for the customers that want to pay the new bill. We have a new smarter special tool. We work on formulas to localize where the losses are originated and we can intervene. And finally, we are working with the regulator to try to find changes also in the regulation that can help to contain this phenomenon.

Isabela Klemes

Operator

Okay. Thank you, Simone. Now move on. We have questions from Javier Suarez from Mediobanca. Thanks for the question. So the question is, is the company Enel Chile confirm its latest guidance?

Simone Conticelli

Analyst

So the answer is simple, it's yes, but just some context. This was a very tough year in terms of hydrological situation. So finally, the season was drier than expected. But in any case, we show our flexibility as a company. We leverage on our very profitable gas contract. We use the flexible and efficient CCGT. And so we have those effects. So we maintain high production. Also our hydropower plant can use reservoir. And so also the production for Enel did not decrease so much. And given all this action and the flexibility the company built in the past year, we can react to this adverse climate conditions and achieve -- we can confirm the results for the year.

Isabela Klemes

Operator

Okay. Thank you, Simone. So move on. The next one is also from Javier Suarez, Mediobanca. It's about the FFO. So could you explain the dynamics of FFO during the 9 months of this year? And your expectation by the year-end?

Simone Conticelli

Analyst

Okay. Talking about the FFO, talking about our business, the FFO usually is concentrated in the second half of the year and particularly in the last quarter. And the main reason is that EBITDA is higher in this period and so on. This year, in the first 9 months, and this week, we had a very high level of FFO. And this was -- thanks to the not ordinarily cash-in from tech regulatory process. So we cash in around USD 300 million recovering cash credit from the past. Looking ahead, the cash flow from ordinary business will be higher compared to the first months in the last period. And also, we will have more efficient management of the net working capital because in the last part of the year, the CapEx are focused in the last part of the year. So also the net working capital can be managed in a more efficient way. And so we expect to improve the performance of FFO in this last quarter, which is more or less the dynamic.

Isabela Klemes

Operator

Okay. Perfect. So now the next question is coming from Fernan Gonzalez from BTG Pactual. So Fernan is talking about the BESS, not the storage that we are implementing. So I will read here. I saw that BESS Las Salinas, 200 megawatts and BESS Acebache, 58 megawatts were declared under construction at the CNE. So these projects involve additional solar capacity or just the energy storage. There are still an additional 200 megawatts of BESS capacity to meet your announcement plan. Will this be added to exist in solar PV in the North?

Simone Conticelli

Analyst

Yes. So talking about the strategy on BESS, we have launched 3 projects this year in line with what was expected in the plan. And these projects are hybrid projects. So we are going to implement BESS system in solar power plant in the North. And while we do this, in general, the BESS can be profitable also like a stand-alone device. But the profitability is higher if you use the BESS system to [ improvise ] our power plants and why? Because the project in faster. You need less environmental document to be produced, considering that you are building the BESS in your plant and also we have some savings in terms of cost and electrical infrastructure. And so I think that I have answered the question. At this moment, we are not increasing the solar capacity. You are just equalizing solar project.

Isabela Klemes

Operator

Okay. So let me check here. So we have another one from [ Thomas Peruchi ], Balanced Capital. Well, part of the question was already answered. So I'll just keep the one that wasn't here. So thank you for the presentation. And he has one question. If I'm not mistaken, you had a target of -- for 2025 of $500 million for expansion projects, mainly relating to batteries to storage. How has that changed by now, given that you are expecting a resolution on ancillary services before moving forward? And was the resolution in line with your expectations? Do you think we will be enough to unlock high investment in storage?

Simone Conticelli

Analyst

Okay. So in our current power plant, we put more or less 600 megawatts of new capacity. And you are right, 450 average in BESS projects. This well project should have been launched at the beginning of the year and were launched during the second launch. And so you can expect a movement of the COD. The recent COD was in 2026 in the second half. And then the new COD will be in 2027, and this will have an impact. But in any case, we start from a fleet of around 9 gigawatts of production and so this change is not a huge change. Talking about regulation. So in August, the 4th of August was largely in new regulation that say that BESS can participate in Chile service mark. It means that this is a very good news for the country because the BESS very means important element that can stabilize the system at a very low cost. And so usually because for the system, it is also reducing the cost for the participant. In terms of revenues, it's not a huge increase, but it's in line with what we expected. Talking about the current BESS that we have, the BESS that we have already installed, it means that amount USD 5 million and USD 7 million per year. But in any case, it's an important step because a permit to meet the BESS project is little bit more profitable than considered in the beginning. And it means that they are profitable also imagining a higher penetration of BESS project.

Isabela Klemes

Operator

Okay. Perfect. So we have the last question that is from Edward Palma from Itaú Asset. So the question is, do you have any news for unregulated PPA contracts?

Simone Conticelli

Analyst

In this moment, no, we don't have any news related to this stock.

Isabela Klemes

Operator

Okay. Perfect. Let me just check if we have no more questions. Okay. As there are no further questions, we formally conclude our conference call. The Investor Relations team is at our disposal for any further inquiries. Many thanks for joining us, and have a great rest of the week. Thank you.

Operator

Operator

And ladies and gentlemen, this concludes our conference. Thank you for participating. You may now disconnect.