The electricity sector regulator Conelec has issued its 2012-2021 electrification master plan, which highlight significant investments: priority power projects in Ecuador will require $8.36bn through 2021, of which $4.67bn for generation, $840m for transmission and $2.85bn for distribution.
On the generation segment, 17 hydropower projects will require $5.22bn, 7 thermal projects $714m, 3 wind power projects $117m and one geothermal project will need $115m. Transmission and distribution investments will be dedicated to the 500 kV system ($288m) and to the improvement of the distribution network ($1.78bn). The plan also targets a load factor of up to 72% in 2021 from 67% and a drop in distribution energy losses to 7.5% from 14.7%. Annual demand through 2021 is planned to increase by an average of 8.1% to 33 TWh. Industry will lead average annual growth with 10.5% (13 TWh), followed by residential 6.9% (10.3 TWh), commercial 6.5% (5.5 TWh), and public lighting and others 7% (4.2TWh).
Part of the investments will have to be covered by loans from multilaterals, foreign governments and from the local financial system.