The Corporación Eléctrica del Ecuador (CELEC EP) announced on March 16 that it has added seven megawatts to the electrical system in Santa Elena province, following an irreversible failure of a key autotransformer at the Santa Elena substation.
The announcement was made during a press conference at the Citizen Attention Center auditorium in Santa Elena. Officials from CELEC EP, the National Electricity Corporation (CNEL EP), and Governor Xavier Negrete explained that immediate actions were coordinated with the Ministry of Environment and Energy and the National Electricity Operator (CENACE) to minimize disruptions caused by the equipment failure.
According to CELEC EP, scheduled work took place between midnight and 4:00 a.m. on March 16 at the Santa Elena II Thermal Power Plant. This included energizing and putting into operation a new 10-megavolt-ampere transformer, which has now contributed seven megawatts to the provincial grid. The company estimates this will gradually reduce energy restriction times by about 30 percent in affected areas.
In addition to this measure, officials said that three units at the Santa Elena III Thermal Power Plant were activated earlier, adding another 33 megawatts to the system. Private backup generation was also secured, and ongoing coordination with CENACE aims to optimize operations and lessen impacts on residents. Plans are underway to rent an additional 21 megawatts from local providers through CNEL EP substations in Pechiche, Chanduy, and La Libertad in coming days.
As a long-term solution, CELEC EP is working on replacing the damaged autotransformer with a higher-capacity unit currently located at Pascuales Substation. Due to its size—over 200 tons—specialized logistics studies are being conducted for its transport and installation.
While these efforts continue, CNEL EP will keep publishing updated schedules for planned service interruptions on its website. The government said it is working as quickly as possible so that Santa Elena can return to normal electricity service.
