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Energy
Workers operating machinery Machinery equipment in Paute Dam
1 ) HYDROELECTRICITY
Ecuador has huge potential in the hydroelectricity sec-
tor. Hydropower is the base of the country’s energy ma-
trix, with 63% of electricity produced from hydroelectric
power plants, the figure that is expected to rise in the
coming years.
According to the National Electricity Council
(CONELEC) and the National Center for Energy Con-
trol (CENACE) the demand for December 2010 was 1
225 gigawatt per hour (GW / h), compared with power
demand of about 2 879.2 megawatts (MW) in January
2010. In general, the electricity demand was growing at
the annual rate of 6% during the given period.
Dam generating electricity
Mazar, Pisayambo, Peripa Daule and Amaluza reser-
voirs generate a total of 743 GW / h, which represents
83% of the total hydroelectric generation that Ecuador
requires.
Key Institutions:
CELEC
The Electricity Corporation of Ecuador (CELEC) is the
State company in charge of generating and supplying
electricity to the country.
CELEC was created in February 2010 and brings to-
gether generators Hidropaute, Electroguayas, Termoes-
meraldas, Termopichincha and Hidroagoyán along with
transmission company Transelectric. The company
boasts an installed capacity of 1.94GW and produces
9.83TWh/y, satisfying 61.1% of current demand. The
generators have a number of projects currently under
construction and/or in the bidding process.
CONELEC(THENATIONALCOUNCILOFELECTRICITY)
CONELEC is a regulatory, controlling and planning orga-
nization that allows the State to establish rules and regu-
lations in order to enable the harmonious development of
the Electricity Sector in Ecuador. Ultimately, the primary
objective is to provide quality, continuity and trustworthi-
ness of CONELEC’s services to the community.
On April 14, 2011, the following regulations by the Board
of Directors of CONELEC were approved:
1. No. 002/11 - “Exceptionality of private participation in
electric power generation”.
2. No. 003/11 - “Determination of the methodology to
calculate timings and prices related to projects of power
generation and auto generation”.
3. No. 004/11 - “Treatment of the energy produced with
the use of Non-Conventional Renewable Resources”.
These three regulatory measures allow fulfillment of
requirements established by the Constitution of the Re-
public, giving the possibility to delegate, on the basis of
exceptionality, development of projects of power gen-
eration to private companies. These concepts are also
developed in the Organic Production, Commerce and
Investment Code.