Chief engineer
The Chivilingo plant dates to 1893 when its first feasibility studies were performed for the Lota undersea coal mine operated by the Compañía Explotadora de Lota y Coronel at depths of up to . Chief engineer William E. Raby formulated its initial plans, which settled upon the production of alternating current to feed three phase motors, powered by waterfalls of the nearby Chivilingo River.