In a significant stride toward strengthening the national electricity grid, ISA ENERGÍA, through its subsidiary Red de Energía del Perú S.A. (ISA REP), has successfully reached a pivotal milestone in the execution of the "Ampliación 24" transmission project. This infrastructure development, centered on the construction of the Chimú Substation, serves as a critical backbone for the energy stability of the city of Trujillo and its surrounding districts in the La Libertad region.
With a total investment of approximately US$ 40 million, the project is designed to bridge the growing gap between energy supply and demand, ensuring that nearly one million residents benefit from a more robust and resilient electrical network. As Peru’s energy landscape evolves, projects like Ampliación 24 are essential to supporting the socio-economic development of the country’s northern industrial and residential hubs.
The Core Facts: Strengthening the Electrical Backbone
The Ampliación 24 project is not merely a construction effort; it is a strategic intervention aimed at optimizing the existing high-voltage transmission architecture. By integrating new transformation capacity and advanced seccionamiento (seccioning) technology into existing transmission lines, ISA REP is effectively modernizing the electrical flow across the region.
The project operates on two distinct tiers of technical intervention:
- System Capacity Enhancement: By reinforcing the connection between major nodes like Chimbote and Trujillo, the project minimizes the risk of outages and voltage fluctuations.
- Infrastructure Modernization: The incorporation of high-capacity transformers and sophisticated circuit breakers ensures that the system can handle higher loads, anticipating the industrial growth of La Libertad.
This project represents a critical component of the national transmission plan, ensuring that the local utility provider, Hidrandina, can distribute energy to southern Trujillo with significantly improved reliability.
Project Chronology: Milestones and Deadlines
Execution is being carried out in phases to ensure the continuity of service during the construction period. The timeline for the project’s completion is as follows:
- Phase 1 Completion (Energized): September 2, 2026. This milestone marked the activation of the Chimú Substation’s primary operational capacity, providing immediate relief and stabilization to the existing grid.
- Final Phase Completion: June 27, 2027. This stage will finalize the comprehensive upgrades, including the full-scale installation of multi-voltage transformation capacity (220/138/60 kV), effectively completing the project’s long-term vision.
Technical Specifications and Infrastructure Detail
The technical scope of the project is expansive, reflecting the complexity of modern grid management. The Phase 1 energization, known as "Ampliación 24.1," established the foundational architecture of the Chimú Substation.
Phase 1: The Foundation
- Voltage Levels: Operational at 220/60 kV.
- Transformation: Installation of a 50 MVA three-phase transformer.
- Switching Capacity: Two 220 kV line cells, two 60 kV line cells, and one 60 kV transformer cell.
- Integration: Successful seccioning of the L-2232 Chimbote–Trujillo Norte 220 kV line and the L-6697 Virú–Chao 60 kV line.
Phase 2: The Definitive Expansion
The final stage of the project is designed for long-term scalability. It will transform the Chimú facility into a high-capacity hub capable of managing 220 kV, 138 kV, and 60 kV levels simultaneously.
- Advanced Transformation: The installation of a massive 96-120 MVA autotransformer bank, accompanied by a reserve unit to ensure 100% uptime.
- Supplementary Capacity: An additional 50-60 MVA three-phase transformer to cater to future load increases.
Official Perspective: Driving the ISA 2040 Strategy
Ferdinand Freitas Do Vale, Project Manager at ISA ENERGÍA, highlighted the alignment of this project with the company’s global long-term vision. "With Ampliación 24, we reaffirm our commitment to the strengthening of the country’s electrical transmission and, particularly, to a region that continues to grow and demand infrastructure that is increasingly robust and reliable," Freitas stated.
He further emphasized that the Chimú Substation is not just an immediate fix, but a strategic asset. "The substation will allow us to reinforce the sub-transmission system capacity to meet the loads of Hidrandina users in southern Trujillo during the first phase, and with the definitive stage, we guarantee the reinforcement of the regional transmission system with a long-term view, complying with the transmission plan and providing reliability to the system’s operation."
Freitas linked these efforts to the "ISA 2040 Strategy," a corporate roadmap focused on developing resilient, secure, and clean energy infrastructure prepared for the challenges of the coming decades.
Socio-Economic and Operational Implications
Energy Reliability for a Growing Population
Trujillo is one of Peru’s most dynamic cities, characterized by a mix of intensive agriculture, retail, and manufacturing. For these sectors, electrical stability is not a luxury—it is a prerequisite for productivity. By reducing the frequency and duration of service interruptions, Ampliación 24 protects the local economy from the costs of downtime.
Safety and Sustainability Standards
A central tenet of the project is the maintenance of rigorous safety standards. ISA REP has prioritized the physical integrity of its workforce, contractors, and local community members throughout the construction process. This commitment to "Zero Harm" is consistent with the global shift toward a "just transition"—ensuring that the move toward cleaner and more efficient energy does not come at the expense of social or operational safety.
Alignment with National Energy Goals
The project operates within the framework of the national transmission plan, a series of state-led mandates to ensure that Peru’s electrical grid can support the decentralization of industry. As renewable energy sources are integrated into the grid elsewhere in the country, having high-capacity, reliable substations like Chimú allows for a more flexible and efficient distribution of that power.
Corporate Profile: Who is ISA REP?
Red de Energía del Perú S.A. (ISA REP) stands as the premier leader in electricity transmission within Peru. Its operations are characterized by a focus on high-voltage engineering, precision maintenance, and technological innovation.
As part of the ISA conglomerate—a multinational leader in infrastructure—the company manages an impressive portfolio that includes:
- Subsidiaries: Consorcio Transmantaro, ISA Perú, and Consorcio Eléctrico Yapay.
- Infrastructure Reach: An expansive network comprising 88 high-voltage substations and over 12,000 kilometers of transmission lines.
- Geographic Footprint: Spanning 21 regions across Peru, the company effectively acts as the circulatory system for the nation’s power supply.
By utilizing the most modern monitoring technologies and predictive maintenance protocols, ISA REP ensures that its infrastructure remains capable of handling the increasing energy demands of a modernizing Peru.
Future-Proofing the Grid
As the global energy sector pivots toward digitalization and decarbonization, the "Ampliación 24" project serves as a case study for how established utility companies can adapt. By balancing immediate technical needs (Phase 1) with long-term strategic requirements (Phase 2), ISA REP is providing a blueprint for sustainable development in the energy sector.
The project’s completion in 2027 will not only mark the end of a construction phase but the beginning of a new era of reliability for Trujillo. As the city continues to expand, its ability to attract new industries and improve the quality of life for its residents will be underpinned by the stable, high-capacity electricity flowing through the Chimú Substation.
Ultimately, the investment of US$ 40 million is more than just financial capital; it is a foundational investment in the stability, growth, and prosperity of northern Peru. Through meticulous planning and a clear commitment to the ISA 2040 strategy, ISA REP continues to prove itself as an indispensable partner in Peru’s path toward a more resilient and electrified future.
