The Transmission Company of El Salvador (ETESAL) officially inaugurated the new $35 million Surf City substation in Tamanique on Thursday, delivering a major infrastructure upgrade to one of the nation’s fastest-growing corridors. Equipped with a 50 MVA transformer capacity, the facility receives 115,000 volts and steps them down to 23,000 volts to reinforce power reliability across La Libertad and the neighboring Costa del Sol region.
This project marks a technical milestone as El Salvador’s first Gas-Insulated Substation (GIS). Designed with salt-resistant, non-reactive materials to withstand harsh coastal weather, its compact footprint provides superior grid stability for over 16,000 direct users and 85,000 local residents, alongside a booming wave of new commercial developments, hotels, and restaurants.
The inauguration responds to a surge in coastal electricity demand, which has jumped over 25% due to thriving international tourism and foreign investment. Highlighting the strategic role of the asset, ETESAL President Edwin Núñez emphasized that “without transmission, there is no development, industry, tourism, or technological progress.”
As the fifth substation delivered since 2019 under President Nayib Bukele’s infrastructure strategy, the facility reinforces the country’s appeal to international investors. Tourism Minister Morena Valdez urged business leaders to leverage the new utility framework, while Vice President Félix Ulloa noted that the modern project cements El Salvador’s role as a regional benchmark for economic growth and renewable energy integration.