BKM advises on the provision of services for the rehabilitation and modernisation of hydroelectric complex

By BKM | Berkemeyer

Paraguay’s state-owned power utility Administración Nacional de Electricidad (ANDE) has awarded AFRY, in consortium with Latinoconsult S.A., the planning and supervision of the rehabilitation and modernisation of the 200 MW Acaray hydropower plant.   

Paraguay is one of the world's leading producers of clean renewable energy per capita, most of which is generated from hydropower plants. The Acaray hydroelectric station was commissioned in 1969 and it is located in the department of Alto Paraná. The renovation and modernisation project is financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and is part of ANDE’s 2021-2040 Generation Roadmap which envisions the expansion of the hydro complex with the development of 19 small hydro projects, solar photovoltaic plants, hybrid and battery energy storage systems.  

AFRY, with its consortium partner Latinoconsult from Argentina, will provide full services for the rehabilitation and modernisation of the Acaray hydropower plant with the aim of extending the plant’s lifecycle, improving its availability and reliability and increasing the electrical generation capacity.  

The first phase of the project will last approximately 20 months. AFRY will review previous studies and design technical solutions that will be tendered and ultimately implemented during the second phase of the contract which will take place in the following 40 months. During the execution of the rehabilitation work, AFRY will supervise the contractors on site and verify the technical and social-environmental compliance of the project.  

As hydropower is the main source of clean energy in Paraguay, the 200MW Acaray–Yguazú complex is one of the most important power plants to meet the country’s growing energy demand and to accelerate the sustainability transition. It is therefore essential to modernise and further improve the power generation infrastructure with state-of-the-art technology, security systems, monitoring instrumentation and emergency action plans, in order to guarantee the safety of neighbouring population centres and improve the sustainability of the electricity service by ensuring continuity and an increase in renewable energy.