A statement from the Ministry of Energy and Mines indicated that this infrastructure will have a generation capacity of 50 megawatts (MW).
The minister in charge of that portfolio, Inés Manzano, highlighted that this is the beginning of a new stage for the development of clean, stable, non-conventional and resilient energies.
According to Manzano, this project had not been developed because in the last seven years the governments did not offer the sovereign guarantee to obtain the credit.
The new geothermal power plant of the project will be built in the Urcuquí canton, province of Imbabura, and the first phase will have an approximate investment of 80 million dollars, which will be covered with the JICA credit and with own funds from the Electric Corporation of Ecuador ( Celec).
The Ecuadorian authorities specified that the work includes the drilling of five wells with a production diameter (four producers and one reinjection) and the installation of a pilot plant of up to five MW.
The general manager of Celec, Gustavo Sánchez, indicated that in the midst of the energy crisis due to the drought, this initiative will use the internal heat of the earth and transform it into electricity.
The Japanese ambassador to Ecuador, Morishita Keiichiro, stated that his country will support the implementation of this project to reduce dependence on hydroelectric plants and with the purpose of diversifying energy sources.
Ecuador faces the most severe drought in the last six decades, as well as a lack of investment in the energy sector, which caused power outages to last longer since September 23, lasting 10 and up to 12 hours a day. The lack of electricity complicates daily, work and productive activities in the country, whose business sector estimates the loss of 12 million dollars for every hour of disconnection.
Analysts warn that the Government’s decision to reduce cuts next week to six hours per day lacks technical support.
rc/avr
