agricultural expansion with ecosystem benefits, and the decoupling of mining growth from freshwater extraction. Pillones served as the enabling infrastructure that allowed mining expansion to translate into regional development without compromising water security, giving rise to the Virtuous Water Circle—a model in which productive growth finances infrastructure that, in turn, strengthens resilience, decarbonization, and territorial regeneration. More importantly, this model demonstrates that strategic infrastructure, when articulated under a public–private governance framework and integrated water management approach, is replicable in other arid and semi-arid regions where mining expansion faces water constraints. Pillones is not an isolated case; it is an operational precedent for transforming scarcity into a platform for sustainable and regenerative development. 7. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Pillones Project was the result of effective coordination among the public sector, the private sector, and the local community. Recognition is extended to the Empresa de Generación Eléctrica de Arequipa (EGASA) and Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde S.A.A., whose institutional decisions made it possible to structure and implement the project under a pioneering public–private cooperation framework. Acknowledgment is given to Hayllee Llosa for her role in initiating the early dialogue spaces that facilitated the subsequent negotiation process. Likewise, Fernando Chaves Belaúnde, Project Manager of Pillones and advisor to EGASA, is recognized for his technical contribution during the formulation and development phases. The community of Pillone is also acknowledged for its participation in the implementation process within the framework of the established agreements. Special recognition is extended to Dr. Julia Torreblanca of Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde S.A.A. for her role in managing the permits and authorizations related to the water use license. The author notes having served as Project Manager of the Pillones Project on behalf of EGASA during its development and construction phase and expresses appreciation for the trust granted by the EGASA Board of Directors in leading the project. The Pillones case reaffirms the importance of institutional coordination and cross-sector cooperation in the execution of strategic infrastructure in contexts of high pressure on water resources. 12
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