Noboa inaugurates $39.24 million project to boost Cotopaxi's electrical system

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa inaugurated the Tanicuchí Transmission System on July 1, a $39.24 million project designed to bolster the electricity supply in Cotopaxi province. This strategic infrastructure aims to enhance the reliability of the national transmission system and will directly benefit approximately 487,000 residents, strengthening energy provision in the central-northern region of Ecuador.

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This infrastructure is strategic for reinforcing the electricity supply in Cotopaxi and improving the reliability of the National Transmission System.

The new substation, located in Tanicuchí, Latacunga, incorporates 230/138 kilovolt technology and has a capacity of 150 megavolt-amperes. It is designed to meet the growing demand from residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. Notably, the system is situated outside the potential impact zone of the Cotopaxi volcano, ensuring a more secure power supply for the province and the wider region, according to Antonio Jácome, manager of Celec EP.

President Noboa highlighted that this project is part of a broader $274 million investment aimed at reinforcing electrical infrastructure across twelve provinces. He linked the Tanicuchí system to energy security and regional integration, stating it prepares the country for future economic and energy growth. The government also plans to establish an electrical interconnection with Peru to optimize national generation capacity, reduce costs, and lessen reliance on more expensive, higher-emission fuels.

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This condition guarantees a more secure electricity supply point for the province and the center-north of the country.

The Tanicuchí Transmission System is integrated into the 2012-2022 Transmission Program and the Electricity Master Plan, focusing on modernizing the national grid to accommodate increasing energy demand. The infrastructure includes a four-kilometer, 230-kilovolt transmission line, a ten-kilometer, 138-kilovolt line, and a 230/138 kilovolt substation with two 75-megavolt-ampere transformers. The project was financed through resources from the Inter-American Development Bank (BID), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Celec EP, and fiscal funds.

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This infrastructure responds to the need to prepare the country for economic and energy growth in the coming decades.