Los Molles is a Hydroelectric Power Plant located on the Los Molles River, a tributary of the Rapel River and the Rio Grande, in the Monte Patria area some 60 km east of Ovalle, in the heart of the Limarí Valley. It is part of the first-generation power plants that were built in the country to supply energy to specific regions. The Los Molles Power Plant was built in 1952. It became known because of its contribution to the energy and industrial development of the Coquimbo Region which, at the time, required large amounts of electricity to increase its industrial activity.
It was common in the first hydroelectric power plants to install a social fabric around its area of operation, made possible by the construction of a space where workers carried out their tasks, and dedicated the rest of their time to recreational and family activities. Both its former inhabitants and the community around the campsite place special importance on the Los Molles town and its infrastructure, which included a casino, a school, a sports facility and a polyclinic, to mentioned only a few.
With time, as the construction of new power plants took off and the advent of other energy-generation technologies, the plant began losing its relevance on the national energy map. However, it still keeps its historical value, and the enormous height of the water drop is worth mentioning. It is currently recognized by the surrounding community and nearby sectors as a heritage milestone of the Limarí Valley, showing a potential of implementing projects that would permit to recover, at least partially, different sectors of the town that could become a real contribution to reaching the community´s and the whole area´s sustainability.