Peruvians know how to face adversity with courage. In a chaotic world, we dare to dream and build a better country every day. What I mention is not just a wish, it is a reality. During the quarantine for the covid-19, we are fighting like never before, without letting ourselves be won by pessimism. I have witnessed this in the energy sector, where electricity companies such as Empresa de Generación Huallaga (EGH), owner of Chaglla, the third largest hydroelectric plant in Peru, have operated 100% despite adversities.
The presence of the coronavirus locked Peruvians, but it did not paralyze us, since it would be impossible to live without an electrical service that, among other things, allows us to keep food. The pandemic allowed us to confirm that the National Interconnected Electric System (SEIN) is ready to respond to any challenge. Given the high reserve margin, the measures adopted by the companies, and the government regulations, today the electricity companies as a whole are ready to supply the demand of the national productive sector, promoting the economic reactivation that this moment demands.
The challenges are not over. The energy sector still has to do annual preventive maintenance of its facilities, an activity necessary to continue with high rates of operational availability when demand returns to pre-pandemic levels.
To be sustainable, reactivation involves having energy that comes mainly from clean sources, as is the case in Peru. In our country, hydraulic energy represents 57% of the electricity matrix, something that is extremely important to have sustainable and planet-friendly economic growth.
If we review the latest figures from the Ministry of Energy and Mines, according to the statistics registered by the source of origin, in June the hydroelectric plants at the national level produced 2,251 GWh, 1% higher than that produced in June of the previous year.
The System Economic Operation Committee (COES) has reported that in July the national electricity demand is only 13% of that registered before the pandemic, and it is expected that by August it will reach 11%, largely due to that mining activity has been recovering with electricity consumption that is around 37,000 MWh per day, almost 47% more than the daily average required by companies since the second half of March and during April and May, in full quarantine.
Returning to the path of growth is possible if we all set ourselves that goal. For this, the productive sector relies on electricity generation companies. It is time to get up with energy and continue betting on Peru.
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Article published in El Peruano - 08.22.2020
