Santiago, Jan 14 (IANS/EFE): President Sebastian Pinera said his government's efforts to promote a more transparent and competitive electricity market will make it possible for Chile to connect its power grid with those of other Latin American countries.

Both aims are part of his administration's "eight-pillar" strategy to promote the development of Chile's electricity industry over the next 20 years, the president said in a speech on energy policy Thursday at a convention center in this capital.

Pinera also stressed the importance of achieving electricity interconnection with neighbouring countries, such as Argentina, under a legal framework that offers guarantees to Chile.

The right-wing billionaire, who took office in March 2010, said the eight pillars also include promoting non-conventional renewable energy and energy efficiency and increasing hydroelectric power production.

He said the other goals are to establish new air-quality standards for thermoelectric plants, build a previously announced "public electric highway" (a proposed national trunk network) and improve environmental legislation.

Implementing the eight pillars will imply important changes "because there was no strategy, no road map, before", Pinera said in the speech.

"This is a path worth taking and will allow us to stay ahead of the game," said Pinera, who at no point referred to staunch opposition from environmental groups to the construction of new hydroelectric power stations and transmission towers in Patagonia.