Small Decentralized Hydropower Program National ... - Cd3wd.com

20 a 30 kWh por habitante y se abastecia a menos
de1 25% de !a poblacion total.
De esta manera las dos compamas antes men-
cionadas, monopolistas de este sector de la
ingenieria, efectuaban contratos “Llave en mano”
con 10s Municipios y autoridades cantonales y parro-
quiales y a veces autoproductores (fabricas, hacien-
das, talleres, etc) para el complete suministro de
equip0 electro-mecanico de las centrales y la con-
struccion de las obras civiles, que basicamente con-
sistian en una obra de toma de1 tie a aprovecharse,
un canal de aduccion (en ocasiones tGnel), un ‘;anque
de presion con desarenador, una tubetia de presion y
la casa de maquinas.
En esta forma, solo en esa decada las dos
compaiiias que nos ocupan construyeron 27 centrales
de capacidades que variaban entre 80 y 5.200 kW y
con grupos de 80 hasta 2.600 kW y con un total de
20.700 kW.
Nadie hubiera pensado que este esquema y el
desarrollo de las “posibilidades a la vista” podian
volver a tener actualidad en la decada de 1980.
La creation de INECEL en 1961 coma una entidad
central de gobierno encargada de1 desarrollo de1 sec-
tor, vino a disminuir al impetu de la construction de
estas pequefias centrales, bajo la promesa de1
abastecimiento future por centrales de mayor
magnitud, que con el tiempo conformatian el Sistema
National de Interconeccion, en el que por razones de
racionalizacibn generalmente se aceptan solo cen-
trales de cierta capacidad para el abastecimiento de1
sistema. Este viraje y las espectativas puestas en el
nuevo gestor, INECEL, tuvieron decisivas conse-
cuencias en la cobertura electrica de la decada de
1960-1970:
1. INECEL empezo a planificar el aprovechamien-
to de 10s grandes recursos hidroelectricos me
&ante la localizacibn de centrales de gran
capacidad.
2. las compamas que consttian las centrales hidro-
electricas pequenas practicamente se retiraron
de1 mercado, por cuanto el linico cliente posible
(INECEL), no tema mas inter& en las centrales
de ese tipo, debiendo anotarse que en esa decada
apenas se instalaron 4 centrales medianas y pe-
quenas con unit capacidad total de 13.320 kW.
3. En cambio prolifero la construction e instalacion
de centrales diesel-electricas de todo tipo, que
llegaron a constituir la solution de abastecimien-
to a corto plaza, por la tar&a y lenta construc-
cion de 10s proyectos hidroelectricos grandes,
kWh per person provided to less than 25 per cent
of the total population.
Thus, the two companies mentioned above,vir-
tually monopolizing this engineering sector,
entered into “turn-key contracts” with the
municipalities and parochial and county
authorities and sometimes with private producers
(factories, farms, workshops, etc.) for the total
supply of the electromechanical equipment to the
plants and the construciton of civil works. The
latter consisted basically of the construction of
an intake in the river ot be tapped, a diversion
canal (sometimes a tunnel), a pressure tank with
sand trap, a penstock and powerhouse.
In the decade of the 50’s alone, the two firms
in question built 27 powerplants with a capacity
ranging from 80 to 5,200 kW and with groups
from 80 to 2,600 kW and with a total of 20,700
kW. No one could have foreseen that this order
of things and the development of the “immediate
possibilities” would again become relevant in the
1980’s.
With the creation of INECEL in 1961 as the
central governmental agency in charge of the
development of this sector, construction of these
small hydroelectric plants was reduced in the
understanding that future demands would be met
by larger plants, which, in time, would constitute
the National Interconnection System. For
economic reasons, only powerplants with
capacities above certain level were accepted for
supplying the system. This orientation and the
expectations placed in the new organization, IN-
ECEL, had significant consequneces for the sup-
ply of electricity during the 1960-1970 decade.
275
1. INECEL started to plan for the utilization of
large hydroelectric resources with the in-
stallation of large-capacity powerplants.
2. The companies constructing small
hydroelectric plants practically abandoned
the market since the only possible client (IN-
ECEL) was no longer interested in this type
of plant. In that decade, only four medium
and small power plants were installed, with
total capacity of 13,320 kW.
3. On the other hand, the construction and in-
stallation of all types of diesel-electric
plants prospered. They soon became the
short term solution to the supply problem in
view of the belated and slow construction of
large hydroelectric projects, which in that