LA PAZ – The Bolivian government plans to start exporting electric energy to Argentina by the middle of 2018, once the terms of negotiation are agreed between both nations.
As the Minister of Energies of the Andean-amazonic nation, Rafael Alarcon, the offer to the neighboring country reaches one thousand megawatts (MW) of electricity, aspect to be defined this week during a meeting with his Argentinean peer, Juan Jose Aranguren.
For the moment, there is ‘the political will of both countries to make this intention real’, said Alarcon.
The meeting between both ministers is part of the process of energy integration to go on with the contracts of selling power according to the surplus Bolivia has, as well as to consolidate collaboration in the nuclear center of the El Alto city.
Alarcon said that the meeting will also analyze the topic of export agreements on the long term, opportunity agreements, among other issues.
To achieve those purposes of foreign trade, the Empresa Nacional de Electricidad (ENDE) will work in thermoelectric projects, combined cycles, hydroelectric plants, energy distribution grids at national level to increase electric power and guarantee domestic supply, stressed the Bolivian minister.
He detailed that the transmission line between substations of Yaguacua in Bolivia and Tartagal (Argentina) will demand about 28 million dollars, coming from a loan of the Central Bank.
General investment for energy initiatives in the country amounts to 30 billion dollars until 2025, in order to have new hydroeletric, thermoelectric, solar, wind and biomass stations that help to generate 15 thousand MW and turn Bolivia into the energy heart of South America, said Alarcon.
According to official data, there are in plan over 30 projects of electricity generation for the next ten years, among them the hydroelectric plants: El Bala, Miguillas, Ivirizu, Misicuni, San José, Banda Azul, Molineros, Carrizal, Cambarí and Rositas.
Besides Basin Rio Madera, Basin Rio Grande, Basin Corani (Icona, Ambrosia and Santa Barbara) as well as a Program to Develop Small Plants.
