With record figures, the generation of renewable energies in the country closed last year, according to data from the Lempa River Hydroelectric Executive Commission (CEL).
The autonomous agency reported that hydroelectric plants, as well as subsidiary companies such as LAGEO, CECSA, and INE, lead the national energy sector, representing more than 50% of user demand.
Hydroelectric plants, together with all other renewable energies, provide 83% of the electricity that reaches Salvadoran homes.
According to the institution, at the end of 2022, the hydroelectric plants registered historical figures by producing 2,147.9 gigawatt hours (GWh), thus managing to exceed the generation record registered 12 years ago with an increase of 68.8 GWh.
“We achieved this by making water resources more efficient and saving, programming and executing preventive maintenance at our four hydroelectric plants and modernizing our systems to reduce failures and guarantee uninterrupted power generation,” said CEL head Daniel Álvarez.
He added that, as an institution, they continue to be at the forefront, using state-of-the-art technology, which positions them as one of the most important energy generators and exporters in the Central American region, with Guatemala being the main buyer.
The CEL also explained that the Cucumacayán Electric Company (CECSA) ended 2022 with an annual generation of 44,149 megawatt hours (MWh), an unprecedented production; in its 22 years of operation, it had never registered a figure of such magnitude.
While the LAGEO geothermal power plants in Ahuachapán and Berlin produced 1,468 GWh, the highest figure in three years.
On the other hand, CEL assured that they would continue with the diversification of renewable energy sources. For this reason, with the commissioning of the Talnique Solar Plant from Inversiones Energéticas (INE), there will be an installed capacity of 17 megawatts peak, thanks to the 29,600 bifacial solar panels. The implementation of this project will benefit 25,000 families that consume an average of 100 kilowatt-hours (kWh).
Likewise, the generation through the different government institutions allowed the consumption of electrical energy by around 2 million Salvadoran users, as well as positioning El Salvador with the most competitive prices in the region and reducing the cost of the electrical tariff in the country.