WSHPDR_2013_Final_Report-updated_version

2.3.2 Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
Lara Esser, International Center on Small Hydro Power
SHP installed
capacity
21.3 MW
Key facts
Population 10,290,003 1
Area 1,098,581 km 2
Climate varies with altitude; humid and tropical
to cold and semiarid 1
Topography Rugged Andes Mountains with a
highland plateau (highest point:
Nevado Sajama 6,542 m) hills, lowland
plains of the Amazon 1
Rain pattern Variable, depending on location and
elevation
Electricity sector overview
In the Plurinational State of Bolivia (hereafter Bolivia),
electricity is nearly exclusively generated by private
companies from hydropower and thermal power
plants mainly based on natural gas (figure 1).
The total installed capacity in 2010 was 1,459 MW and
the contribution of renewable sources other than
hydropower is almost negligible. 2 While 85 per cent of
the electricity was produced within the National Grid
System (SIN, Sistema Interconectado Nacional), 15 per
cent was produced in isolated systems (mainly by
diesel-driven generators. The main energy authority in
Bolivia is the Ministry of Hydrocarbon and Energy. 3
Biomass
Gas-diesel turbines
Hydropower
Gas turbines
0.97%
1.15%
35.15%
62.73%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Figure1 Electricity generation in the Plurinational State
of Bolivia
Source: Autoridad de Fiscalización y Control Social de
Electricidad 4
Bolivia has one of the lowest rural electrification rates
of South America, covering only 77.5 per cent (hence,
2.2 million people without electricity) in 2010. 5
Small hydropower sector overview and potential
According to the Bolivian Electricity Control Authority
(AE), installed hydropower capacity in Bolivia is 563.6
MW of which only 21.3 MW corresponds to small
hydropower, distributed between three plants with
individual capacities of 3.3 MW, 8.7 MW and 9.3 MW
(the latter not connected to the National Grid System)
(figure 2). 6 , At least 22 stand-alone projects with a
combined capacity of 600 kW small hydropower plants
have been carried out by the Universidad Mayor de
San Andrés (UMSA) hydro programme (see below).
Small hydropower potential in Bolivia is not known.
SHP potential
unknown
0 5 10 15 20 25
Figure 2 Small hydropower capacities in the Plurinational
State of Bolivia
Moreover, Bolivia offers a robust multilateral
investment fund (MIF) network offering micro-green
finance. Out of the 30 available microfinance
institutions (MFI) six offer green micro loans at an
average cost of 9 per cent. 3
Renewable energy policy
A new Rural Electrification Decree was approved in
2005 (Supreme Decree No. 28 567), which aims to
increase rural electricity access through the extension
and densification of electric networks, development of
renewable energy and a change in the energy mix
(substitution of diesel by natural gas, biomass and
other renewable energies), and an increase in
distribution capacity. The Rural Electrification Decree
and its associated regulatory framework encourage
stakeholders in the energy sector to establish
partnerships with other governmental agencies to
implement the rural electrification plan. 4
In 2006 a new Law for Universal Access to Electricity
(Ley de Acceso Universal) was proposed. Under the
framework of this Law, the programme called
‘Electricity for a Decent Living’ has been designed to
improve both rural and urban electrification. The
medium term goal (2010-2015) is to achieve universal
access in urban areas and a 70 per cent access in rural
ones. By 2020, in the final stages, rural access should
increase to 87 per cent, and universal coverage should
be reached by 2025. The Law also mandates the
creation of a Common Fund for Universal Access to
Public Electricity Service (FOCO) and creates a cofinancing
mechanism of the National Government
with Prefectures, municipalities and the private sector.
Approval of the Law and the related mechanism is
expected soon. 4
The Hydro Programme (el Programa Hidroenergético)
by the UMSA is dedicated to the development of
technologies to utilize water resources. It aims to
achieve technological packages, developed at different
research projects, ready to be transferred to end
users, preferably the rural population, in order to
alleviate rural poverty. The programme works on the
basis of local initiatives by helping local actors with
project identification and design phase, as well as
fundraising. During the construction phase the
programme directs, supervises and manages the
implementation of the project. The main actors, who
are also the implementers and beneficiaries, often
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