He Transportation System Expansion Plan (PET) 2024-2054 prepared from the Government Plan of the last administration, establishes the infrastructure needs in the current electrical energy transmission network, to guarantee the supply of electrical energy with reliability and quality for the coming years (ver).
There, reinforcements are included in the 230 kV Transmission network, and the new 400 kV trunk network, passing through the most important generation and demand poles in the country, from the south in the department of Escuintla, towards Guatemala City. , Tactic in Alta Verapaz and Peten Itzá in the North in the department of Petén.
These networking efforts are expected to not only improve capacity and access to National Interconnected Systembut also bilateral interconnections, encouraging international transactions and promoting foreign investment in the country.
Among the most notable points, the plan includes works for a Solar Ring – Wind in the South East region of Guatemala to receive new capacity from the last long-term generation tender awarded.
“In the Eastern region it is necessary to build a solar-wind ring that includes the connection of the Jalpatagua electrical substation and its associated lines and the Vado Hondo substation,” introduces the PET 2024-2054.
And he continues: “currently, there is wind and solar radiation potential for existing electrical energy generation in the South East region, there is 40% of generation awarded in the open tender PEG-4-2022 using solar and wind technology, there are projects which total 305.3 MW in management of authorization of studies for access to the network in this region (Santo Tómas Solar Plant, Comapa Wind Power, Cobasol, El Pajal Solar Farm).”
But that wouldn’t be all. The plan, which has a study horizon of 30 years, considers the electrical network as a strategic and transversal infrastructure, which is why it also contemplates benefits for locals.
“The Olopa and San Pedro Pinula substations will improve tension levels in the region, promoting the connection of 915 homes in the communities of Chiquimula and 4,048 homes without access to electricity in the municipality of San Pedro Pinula, Jalapa,” it is clarified in the document.
Given that, the PET 2024-2054 contemplates electrical substations and new transmission lines linked to the Solar – Wind Ring, among the works necessary to be tendered for the next two years:
Now, it will be National Electric Energy Commission (CNEE) who must determine which of the proposed works are considered part of the main system and necessary for the next two years, to finally proceed to be put out to tender for their construction.
According to the PET, as a result of this mechanism, the projects that are currently under construction arose: PET-1-2009 and PETNAC. In this regard, it is necessary to add that the CNEE issued a resolution during the month of January, accepting new installations and complementary works for the projects contained in Lot D of the PETNAC-2014 Open Tender (ver).
In the coming months, expectations will be placed on when the urgency of the Solar – Wind Ring is announced to interconnect in the order of 305.3 renewable MW that could be expanded up to 500 MW.
“It is extremely relevant to highlight that the 230 kV works: Pacifico, Jalpatagua, Vado Hondo, associated electrical lines and substations are necessary to allow the use of the existing solar and wind resources in the south-eastern region of Guatemala, considering that at the To date, there are already around 500 MW that are beginning their construction processes and the high generation potential that exists in this region with these technologies, which could not be used due to the current restrictions of the transmission system,” concludes the PET 2024-2054 regarding the Solar Ring – South Eastern wind.