IERN International Energy Regulation Network

The electric market is composed by private companies, supply cooperatives and state regional companies. In the interconnected main grid the generations, transmission and distribution activities are vertically separated.

There are eight main utility companies: Compañía Boliviana de Energía Eléctrica (COBEE), Empresa Eléctrica Guarachi (EGSA), Empresa Eléctrica Corani (CORANI, majority-owned by Duke Energy), Sociedad Industrial Energética y Comercial Andina S.A. (SYNERGIA), Empresa Eléctrica Valle Hermoso S.A. (EVH), Empresa Río Eléctrico S.A. (ERESA), Hidroélectrica Boliviana S.A. (HB) and Compañía Eléctrica Central Bulo Bulo S.A. (CECBB).

The wholesale market met companies such as distributors, generators, transmitters and not regulated consumers, commercial transactions and energy dispatch is made by the National Committee for Load Dispatching (so called CNDC).

Nodal prices are calculated by the CNDC and approved by the national electricity regulator Superintendency of Electricity (so called SE).

In Bolivia a main electric interconnected system called Sistema Interconectado Nacional (SIN). Te rest of the electric supply in isolated and rural areas below to several isolated systems, so called Sistemas Aislados.

The SIN connects major population centres and represents 83 percent of installed capacity. The Isolated Systems connects numerous selfproducers and independent power plants in rural or isolated areas not served by the SIN.

The principal transmission company is Transportadora de Electricidad SA (TDE), controlled by Spain’s Red Eléctrica de España, owns and operates the national high voltage (Hv) network underlying the SIN. The remaining transmission network is owned and operated by ISA BOLIVIA Interconexión Eléctrica SA (ISA). Finally, we have San Cristobal Transmisora de Electricidad S.A. (San Cristobal TESA) wich wons and operates only the high voltaje line to the San cristóbal Mine Company.

The CNDC manage and dispatch energy in the SIN.

The main distribution networks are owned and operated by six companies.

The 38% percent of the power distribution market is controlled by: Cooperativa Rural de Electrificacion (CRE), Electropaz, majority-owned by Spain’s Iberdrola (ELECTROPAZ) with a 29%, Empresa de Luz y Fuerza Eléctrica Cochabamba (ELFEC) with a 18%, Empresa de Luz y Fuerza Oruro (ELFEO) with a 7%, Compañía Eléctrica Sucre S.A. (CESSA) with a 4% and finally Servicios Eléctricos Potosí S.A. (SEPSA) with 3%. Those distributors are connected to the SIN.

Transmission stamp fees are controlled and approved by SE.

Electricity demand is mostly correspondent to distributors’ demand that acquire energy on the MEM and sell it to end-users.

Our institution controls and approves maximum tariff levels for regulated consumers. There are also a limited number of not regulated costumers: Empresa Minera Unificada S.A., Coboce Ltda (COBOCE), Compañía del Sur, Compañía Minera Colquiri, Empresa Minera Inti Raymi S.A. (EMIRSA); Empresa Metalúrgica Vinto and Empres Minera San Cristóbal S.A.

SE is responsible for controling the quality of all electricity activities.

Starting several Hv lines projects.

Increase competition within the electricity market (especially generation) and increase country’s electrification assuring access by rural population.

Development of natural gas reserves and re-nationalization of Bolivia’s resources.

On going expansion process of national pipeline infrastructures and exports to Argentina (through extension of existing contract and building up additional pipelines).

Developing several export paths for LNG projects (i.e. Pacific LNG project, a natural gas pipeline connecting an LNG export terminal at a port in Chile or export LNG via a terminal in Perù).