Inspenet, August 2, 2023.
According to a report by the Bolivian Institute of Foreign Trade (IBCE), Bolivia has managed to position itself among the main exporters of electricity in the region, thanks to its first shipments made to the Argentine market since last March.
“In 2023 Bolivia begins exporting electricity and enters the podium of exporting countries in the region,” says the report.
To date, Paraguay leads the ranking of electricity exporting countries in the region, having registered US$1,662 million in 2022 and accumulated US$508 million until June of this year. In second place is Brazil, with US$344 million last year and US$173 million until mid-2023.
Could Bolivia lead the list?
Bolivia, which had not figured in previous efforts, has entered the Argentine market this year with sales totaling US$4.8 million . For its part, Chile has also entered this market with US$ 5.3 million . According to the IBCE, the exporters’ podium is made up as follows: Paraguay in first place, followed by Brazil in second, Chile in third and Bolivia in fourth.
However, due to its strategic geographical location and ongoing projects, Bolivia presents favorable prospects and it is estimated that it could soon rise to second place, according to studies carried out.
The country has marked an important milestone in the domestic market related to electricity coverage, getting closer and closer to 100%. Virtually all citizens now have access to electricity, which is a significant achievement.
Thanks to the investments made in the electricity sector, in 2021 Bolivia achieved a 99.6% electricity coverage in urban areas and 83.5% in rural areas, reaching a total coverage rate of 94.6% throughout the national territory, according to data provided by the General Directorate of Alternative Energies (DGEA).
This Basic Electricity Service Coverage index at the national level represents the percentage of homes that have access to this type of energy in relation to the total number of homes in the country.
“The coverage of the basic electricity service would reach approximately 99.2% in the urban area, 82.9% in the rural area, giving a total of 94.5% nationwide,” says a second report from the Ministry. of Hydrocarbons and Energies of 2021.
Ende Corporación reports that during 2022 it carried out rural electrification and alternative energy projects for an amount exceeding US$ 355 million, benefiting more than 78 thousand families in urban and rural areas.
Regarding power generation, the progress in the construction of the Ivirizu hydroelectric project stands out, which will have a projected capacity of 290 megawatts (MW), becoming the most relevant hydroelectric project in the country with a physical progress of 70%.
Additionally, Ende plans the construction of the first wind farm in Tarija and the expansion of the Warnes wind farm in Santa Cruz, among other projects.
Bolivia’s total electricity generation capacity is 3,600 MW and the country’s internal demand reaches 1,650 MW, which means that there is a surplus of more than 2,000 MW available for export. This potential offers a significant opportunity for Bolivia to become one of the main energy exporters in the region in the near future.
Currently, in addition to the negotiations with Argentina, Bolivia is carrying out talks with the Brazilian, Chilean and Peruvian markets to explore energy export opportunities.
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