Bolivia load demand nears record

Power demand in Bolivia is close to breaking a record as summer temperatures drive up consumption, in particular in the country's tropical regions.

Figures from national load dispatch committee CNDC reveal that maximum load this month through February 21 reaches 1,350MW, behind the historical high of 1,363MW set in October.

Last month, record high temperatures were registered in the departments of La Paz, Tarija, Pando, Beni and Santa Cruz.

January electricity use and load demand grew 7.7% and 7.8% year-on-year to 711GWh and 1,348MW, respectively, according to CNDC's latest bulletin. Generation capacity in the month was 1,840MW.

Also from Bolivia, hydrocarbons and energy minister Luis Alberto Sánchez announced that a formal electricity sale proposal, including volume and pricing, will be presented to Argentina's energy and mining minister Juan José Aranguren on March 2. The officials were originally scheduled to meet February 26.

An agreement is expected to be reached by year-end, Bolivia's state news agency ABI quoted Sánchez as saying.

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