Vice Ministry of Electricity of Bolivia outlines a new roadmap for the electricity sector at the Strategic Planning Workshop

This press release was published in English using an automatic translation system

Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Energies

The Deputy Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energies, Marcelo Blanco, highlighted the importance of building a new roadmap for the country’s electricity sector during the inauguration of the Strategic Planning Workshop for the Electricity Sector, which brings together public institutions, international organizations, and companies from the sector.

He explained that the main objective of the meeting is to build a strategic plan that will later be shared with international cooperation. “You cannot reach a destination if you do not have a plan. That is why we have invited you to collaborate with your ideas in the development of that plan, and then also in carrying it out,” he stated.

Blanco recalled that, twenty years ago, the situation was completely different: there was a very active private sector, ENDE’s participation was minimal, and the main challenge was to give the power system greater competitiveness, in addition to advancing rural electrification, a goal that was achieved thanks to the support of international cooperation.

However, he pointed out that the country is facing a different challenge today and indicated that Bolivia has around 3,800 megawatts (MW) installed, of which about 70% comes from thermal power plants, in a context of natural gas scarcity. In that regard, he stressed the need to strengthen the sector by incorporating private participation, without neglecting the leading role that ENDE will continue to play within the new framework defined by the government of President Rodrigo Paz Pereira.

During his remarks, Blanco also highlighted the presence of representatives from various public institutions, companies and international organizations, such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the World Bank (WB) and others whose participation will be key to consolidating strategic planning.

The authority also raised the need to “restore the role of the Vice Ministry”, which —he stated— was weakened during previous administrations, when a structure was consolidated that concentrated powers above the ministerial level. In this context, he stressed the importance of moving towards an independent regulator and, in the medium term, assessing a return to a scheme similar to the former Sectoral Regulation System (SIRESE).

In addition, the authority reported that one of the Ministry’s priorities is to approve a new Electricity Law, and emphasized that the State also prioritizes the expansion of alternative and renewable energies to avoid, in the short term, potential problems in the electricity supply.