Central American Electrical Interconnection System (SIEPAC)

“Beyond its complexities, you can see that everyone is excited about the exceptional nature of this project, the fact that it can bring people closer together. The connected power and telecommunications lines will give local residents a more competitive network that they can count on.”

Homero Fuentes, Vice President, International Business Development – Peru

The SIEPAC Project is a major undertaking to connect the power grids of six countries: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. Linking the electrical systems of these nations to 15 substations, this 1800-km, 230-kV transnational network will serve more than 30 million people throughout Central America. The objectives of the project include improving energy efficiency, providing power to a broader population base, improving the reliability and efficiency of energy sources, reducing the costs of electricity and telecommunications, and promoting economic development.

The project owner, Empresa Propietaria de la Red (EPR), contracted Dessau for all technical aspects of the project. This includes supervising construction, reviewing detailed engineering plans and drawings, outlining project specifications for tender processes, and providing quality assurance for the production of conductors, structures, equipment and accessories. During peak periods, nearly 250 people have worked on this ongoing project.

Dessau has also designed a leading-edge telecommunications transmission system to connect the six EPR member countries. Effectively linking the communications network to North and South America, this infrastructure supports faster telephone and Internet systems – an exciting alternative to the submarine cables used previously. The Dessau-designed system is now the region’s most reliable international network.

So far, a number of challenges have come up during the project, not the least of which was dealing with the different laws and cultures specific to each country. The team pooled their efforts and established meticulous standards to ensure that the project would run smoothly and efficiently. One initiative involved creating a work group to define and implement business practices that would be compatible with the geographic and cultural particularities of each country. This ensured the best operational strategies for the project.

Dessau is extremely proud to be participating in this singular project, which will facilitate the exchange of information across Central America.