ISSUE 123 | 2023
UNICOM ENDE
Inthe context of Cochabamba’s anniversary and with an investment exceeding one billion Bolivianos, President Luis Arce Catacora marked a historic milestone for Bolivia’s electrical sector by inaugurating the Carrasco-Santiváñez Transmission Line, the country’s first 500 kV (kilovolt) line. This achievement aligns Bolivia with the electrical sector standards of neighboring countries in the region.
Inaugurated on September 13, 2023, this project will enhance electrical transmission in the central and eastern sections of the National Interconnected System (SIN). It will facilitate the transportation of power from hydroelectric, solar, and wind generation plants with varying availability levels. Additionally, the line will supply both national demand and export markets through a robust transmission system, equipped with a capacity suitable for networks operating at voltages exceeding 230 kV.
Education and Experience
It’s noteworthy that the design, engineering, and construction of the line were entirely carried out by Bolivian professionals from ENDE Transmission and the contracted companies, demonstrating a high level of education and experience in executing tasks such as foundation construction, cable installation, and the ground optical fiber cable (OPGW).
The Carrasco-Santiváñez Transmission Line is situated in the municipalities of Entre Ríos and Santiváñez, in the provinces of Carrasco and Capinota, covering a distance of 235.65 kilometers. It features a simple ternary configuration with a bundle of four conductors per phase, separated by 1.1 meters. The operational launch of this line will benefit the entire Bolivian population, strengthening electrical transmission in the Santiváñez-Carrasco corridor, which is often vulnerable to disruptions due to heavy rains or river overflow in the area.p>
“The implementation of this transmission line will provide the necessary strength to the industries located in the area…”
This new infrastructure comprises two defined sections: the first, with an altitude below 1,000 meters above sea level (masl), starts at the Carrasco substation. The second, with an altitude between 1,000 to 4,100 masl, connects the line to the Santiváñez II substation.
Both substations were constructed on a turnkey basis, showing the high competence of Bolivian professionals and the contracted companies involved in foundations, assembly, cable installation, and the OPGW.
Santiváñez is home to the industrial park of the same name, the largest in Cochabamba. The implementation of this transmission line will provide the necessary strength to the industries in the area and any new ventures planning to establish themselves in this region. This contributes to consolidating the government’s industrialization efforts led by President Luis Arce Catacora.
