Since 1990, leading consulting firm in the energy sector
Synex's engineering team is made up of recognized professionals in the sector, both in Chile and abroad, including former regulators, former executives of companies in the area, and experts in simulation tasks of electricity markets in their economic and commercial aspects.
What we do
About us
Synex Ingenieros Consultores is a leading Chilean firm in the field of defining and implementing energy policies aimed at promoting economic efficiency in an environment of decentralization, free functioning of the market where possible, efficient regulation of monopolistic activities, and incorporation of private participation in the sector. Synex was created in 1990 by engineers Sebastián Bernstein and Renato Agurto.
During the 1980s, the founders of Synex played a key role in the Chilean National Energy Commission in the first process of institutional transformation and privatization of the electricity sector in the world. Chile was the first country to establish a competitive Wholesale Electricity Market, consisting of a contract market and a spot market. It also established open access to monopoly transmission and distribution services, and regulated charges for their efficient remuneration.
The reform carried out in Chile was an important reference for subsequent reform processes carried out in other countries. From this experience, Synex has advised numerous governments and regulatory entities in the reform of the electricity sector, in the development of rules and regulations for its operation, in the development of electricity markets, and in the determination of prices and tariffs in generation, transmission and distribution.
Las actividades de Synex han sido desarrolladas en más de veinte países en América Central, Sudamérica, África y Asia. En el ámbito privado Synex ha asesorado a un gran número inversionistas y entidades financieras de diversos países de América, Europa y Asia en la evaluación económica de proyectos de generación y transmisión, en la privatización y/o venta de activos, y en el diseño y negociación de contratos de suministro, tanto a proveedores como a grandes consumidores de energía eléctrica. Synex's activities have been developed in more than twenty countries in Central and South America, Africa and Asia. In the private sector, Synex has advised a large number of investors and financial institutions in several countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia in the economic evaluation of generation and transmission projects, in the privatization and/or sale of assets, and in the design and negotiation of supply contracts, both to suppliers and large consumers of electricity.
Why choose us
HIGH TECHNICAL
QUALIFICATION
PERSONALIZED
SERVICE
35 YEARS OF
EXPERIENCE
USe of state-of-the-art models
Market Studies
Synex has a vast experience in market studies, with the human resources and state-of-the-art tools for the elaboration of price projections and the evaluation of the economic performance of generation infrastructure. Synex's advice has been key for investors and/or developers of new generation projects, as well as for financial institutions, both in the general analysis of market expectations, as well as in financing decisions for specific generation projects or refinancing of existing assets.
Clients who have contracted this service in the last 10 years:
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Regulatory Analysis and Design
The experience of the members of Synex in the development of legal and regulatory standards in the areas of generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, allows it to provide first class advice on regulatory analysis and design. Apart from the development of standards in Chile, many of which are now in force, Synex provides advice on regulatory issues in countries that began their electricity sector reform processes after the one applied in Chile, such as Peru, Bolivia, Guatemala, Panama, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, among others. These consultancies have been contracted to Synex by government agencies as well as by companies and financial entities.
Clients who have contracted this service in the last 10 years:
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Tariff Analysis and Design
The analysis and design of pricing and tariff systems requires the application of cost efficiency criteria, allocative efficiency, and self-financing conditions of the infrastructure to be priced, allowing it to exhibit an efficient technical and economic development and operation. Synex professionals have extensive experience and track record in these matters, both as former regulators and as consultants. Synex, in strategic partnership with consulting firms specialising in costing, has provided advice on the design and determination of prices and tariffs in relevant tariff processes developed both in Chile and abroad.
Clients who have contracted this service in the last 10 years:
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Due Diligence
Detailed knowledge of market projections and permanent monitoring of the evolution of the regulatory and institutional framework allows Synex professionals to provide high quality advice to potential buyers of generation, transmission and distribution assets in Chile and abroad, in the latter case, in strategic partnership with local consulting firms. The support in the corresponding market Due Diligence processes includes the projection of economic flows and qualitative analysis of the regulatory and institutional environment and its future evolution expectations. Synex integrates professional teams from the financial and legal areas, normally contracted by the potential buyer.
Clients who have contracted this service in the last 10 years:
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Contract Design (PPA)
Its knowledge of the evolution of markets and marketing processes, as well as the experience that its members have in the design and drafting of regulatory texts, allows Synex to provide specialised and comprehensive support to consumer clients in the design and negotiation of the contractual conditions of their supply agreements (PPA), including the preparation of Term Sheets, the text of the corresponding contracts, and the analysis of the price conditions. In these consultancies Synex integrates professional teams from the logistics and legal areas of the consumer client, normally large industrial and mining clients.
Clients who have contracted this service in the last 10 years:
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Supply Tenders
Synex's knowledge of the variables governing energy production and commercialisation processes, as well as the competitive environment, allows Synex professionals to advise potential energy developers or suppliers in the preparation of commercial offers in open supply bidding processes or in bilateral negotiations. This advice involves the preparation of market projections and the analysis of the performance of the production technologies underpinning potential contracts in order to establish technical and price conditions of supply that minimise risks for the supplier.
Customers who have contracted this service in the last 10 years:
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Team
Sebastián Bernstein
Graduate engineer from Ecole Central de Paris, managing partner of Synex Ingenieros Consultores since its creation in 1990. As Head of the Electricity Area of the National Energy Commission between 1978 and 1984 and then as Executive Secretary of the organisation between 1984 and 1990, he co-authored, together with engineer Renato Agurto and others, the reform of the Chilean electricity sector. He also played an important role in the deregulation of the oil, natural gas and coal sectors in Chile, and in the implementation of legal mechanisms for private participation in hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation contracts.
As a consultant at Synex, he has advised on the institutional organisation and deregulation of oil, gas and coal markets, on the development of competitive electricity markets, and on the regulation and pricing of electricity generation, transmission and distribution in almost all Latin American countries that have undertaken reform, as well as in Africa and Asia.
Renato Agurto
A Civil Electrical Engineer from the University of Chile, he has been a Managing Partner of Synex Ingenieros Consultores since its creation in March 1990. He began his professional activities as a study engineer and then as head of studies in the Electrical Engineering Department of Endesa Chile between 1972 and 1980. In 1981 he joined the professional teams of the National Energy Commission (CNE), where he was responsible, first as head of projects and then as Head of the Electrical Area of the agency, to be co-author of the reform of the Chilean electricity sector along with the engineer Sebastian Bernstein and others. From Synex he has advised on the institutional organisation and regulation of electricity markets, and on the regulation and pricing of electricity generation, transmission and distribution in most of Latin America, as well as in Africa and Asia.
Renato Agurto was director of Compañía de Teléfonos de Chile between 1985 and 1988. Between 2010 and 2014 he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission, appointed by the President of the Republic. Between 2006 and 2007 he served as Chairman of the Energy Commission of the Chilean Institute of Engineers and Director of that corporation.
Rodrigo Iglesias
He is a Civil Engineer of Industries, mention in Electricity, from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and senior engineer at Synex from August 2017 to date. Between 1998 and 2005 he served as Head of the Electricity Area of the National Energy Commission (CNE), actively participating in different legal and regulatory reforms applied in the sector, as well as in the conduction of all tariff setting processes in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity segments developed in the period. Between March 2005 and December 2006 he worked as a senior engineer at Synex Ingenieros Consultores, participating in the regulatory studies carried out by the firm for clients both in Chile and abroad. In December 2006 he was appointed by the President of the Republic as Executive Secretary of the National Energy Commission, a position he held until March 2010, with technical responsibility for the operation of the regulatory body. For the period 2010-2016, he was appointed Member of the Panel of Experts of the Electricity Sector in Chile, a body that resolves conflicts between agents in the sector.
Pedro Gatica
He is a Civil Industrial Engineer from the University of Chile (1975). Between 1977 and 2015 he worked at Empresa Nacional de Electricidad, Endesa (currently Enel Generación Chile), where he was Assistant Manager of Planning for 20 years. In this position, he led the team of professionals in charge of planning studies to support the Company's generation infrastructure investments, first in the Chilean market (until 2001) and in the markets of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Peru (2001 to 2015). During his time at Endesa, he served on the boards of SAN ISIDRO (2001-2013), PEHUENCHE S.A. (2001-2012) and ELECTROGAS (2001-2015). At Synex, he is an expert in wholesale market price studies, generation project revenues and regulatory analysis.
Jean Jacques Descazeaux
He holds a degree in Industrial Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. He is currently a senior engineer at Synex, as principal consultant in all consultancies related to electricity supply to large customers. Between 1986 and 1990 he worked as an engineer in the Electrical Area of the National Energy Commission (CNE). Between 1990 and 1995 he worked as a consultant engineer at Synex, participating in price projection and project evaluation studies developed by the consultancy firm. Between 1995 and 2008 he joined Metrogas, the natural gas distributor in the metropolitan region, as assistant commercial manager. From 2008 to date he is a member of Synex, as an expert in market projections, valuation and acquisition of assets in the electricity sector, evaluation of investment projects in power generation, and support to large industrial consumers in electricity supply contracting processes.
Patricio Agurto
He holds a degree in Commercial Engineering from Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, 2004 and a Diploma in Electricity Markets, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, 2006. Since joining Synex Ingenieros Consultores in 2005, he has participated in advising investors in the projection of electricity prices, revenue projections and economic evaluation of distribution utilities, existing power plants and new generation projects in the country's interconnected systems. In the distribution area, among other studies, he has had a relevant participation in the tariff processes of the segment in the areas of organisation and operating costs of distribution companies. He is currently a senior specialist in the analysis and simulation of the operation of short-term electricity markets and the economic analysis of supply contracts.
Marcia Zelada
Civil Engineer in Industrial Engineering, specialising in Transport Systems, from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. He is currently the Administration and Finance Manager of Synex. In 1981 he joined the professional teams of the National Energy Commission (CNE) as Head of Projects in the oil and gas area. In 1991 he became Head of the Non-Conventional Energies Area of the CNE. In July 1992 he joined Synex. As a Synex engineer he has participated mainly in studies related to the restructuring of the energy sector, to support reform processes. He has worked on restructuring studies in the areas of oil and gas and electricity in El Salvador and Uruguay, and in the area of electricity in Paraguay. In Guatemala, in the drafting of electricity regulations. He has also participated in several studies on natural gas demand in northern Chile, both for private and institutional investors.
