Ecuador’s government plans to offer public-private partnerships (PPPs) for 10 new hydroelectric projects with a combined total capacity of 640 MW and investment of $1.52 billion, according to BNamericas.
Authorities unveiled the projects after an update by the energy and mines ministry and state power corporation Celec to hydropower studies carried out 40 years ago. The proposed plants will be incorporated into the master electrification plan.
Hydropower accounts for nearly 60% of the country’s installed power generation capacity of 8,786 MW.
The new hydro projects are:
- 60 MW Alto Tambo at the Carchi-Esmeraldas border, with a cost of $153 million
- 40 MW Arenal at the Carchi-Imbabura border, with a cost of $151 million
- 40 MW Chaumala at the Chimborazo-Bolívar border, with a cost of $120 million
- 50 MW Miravalle at the Carchi-Imbabura border, with a cost of $133 million
- 120 MW Misahaullí in Napo, with a cost of $201 million
- 40 MW Pastaza 1 Simón Bolívar at the Pastaza-Morona Santiago border, with a cost of $279 million
- 40 MW Pastaza 2 Kumay at the Pastaza-Morona Santiago border, with a cost of $233 million
- 150 MW Tiwintza in Morona Santiago, with a cost of $333 million
- 80 MW Tobar Donoso at the Carchi-Esmeraldas border, with a cost of $173 million
- 20 MW Upano at the Morona Santiago border, with a cost of $123 million
BNamericas is also tracking 28 other hydropower developments, among them 596 MW Cardenillo and 2.4 GW Santiago.
In June, Celec announced it had relaunched a tender to guarantee operation of the country’s largest hydroelectric plant, the 1.5 GW Coca Codo Sinclair dam in the Amazon.
