El Salvador is making significant advancements in geothermal energy, with the General Directorate of Energy, Hydrocarbons, and Mines (DGEHM) projecting a 10-megawatt (MW) increase in installed geothermal capacity by the end of this year. This addition would bring the country closer to its goal of achieving at least 30 MW of new capacity over the current five-year period.
Daniel Álvarez, head of the DGEHM, highlighted the progress in an interview on the state television channel. “We have added those 10 megawatts. We are about to complete the 10 MW for this year, while other countries haven’t managed even one in the last five years. We have achieved it, and we hope to close the quinquennium with much more, around 30 MW,” Álvarez stated.
Currently, 2.5 MW are already in operation at the Ahuachapán plant, and 7.5 MW will soon be added from the binary cycle system being finalized at the Berlin well in Usulután. Geothermal energy, which uses the Earth’s heat to produce electricity, is recognized for being both less polluting and more cost-effective compared to conventional energy sources.
According to the Superintendence of Electricity and Telecommunications (Siget), El Salvador’s installed geothermal capacity stands at 209.4 MW, representing 6.8% of the country’s total generation capacity of over 3,040.7 MW.
El Salvador has a long history with geothermal power, having inaugurated the Ahuachapán plant in 1975 and the Berlin facility in 1999. However, no new investments were made in this sector until recently, after a long pause since 2007.
In February 2023, a major update was announced when CEL revealed that the InterEnergy consortium would build and operate two new geothermal wells: one in Chinameca, San Miguel, with a 20 MW capacity, and another in San Vicente, producing 10 MW.
Data from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) shows that El Salvador holds 11.5% of Latin America’s installed geothermal capacity, ranking among just seven countries in the region using this renewable energy source.