Empresa Pública Estratégica Corporación Eléctrica del Ecuador – CELEC EP (the “Grantee”) invites submission of qualifications and proposal data (collectively referred to as the “Proposal”) from interested U.S. firms that are qualified on the basis of experience and capability to execute technical assistance (the “Technical Assistance”) to enable the Grantee to develop a master plan for the digital transformation and modernization of Ecuador’s national electricity transmission system, focused on deploying smart grid technologies, enhancing grid management capabilities and improving operational efficiency. The Proposal submission deadline is June 2, 2023 at 2:00 PM local time in Quito, Ecuador (1:00 PM EDT). The U.S. firm selected will be paid in U.S. dollars from a $791,500 grant to the Grantee from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency.
About the Grantee
The Grantee is Empresa Pública Estratégica Corporación Eléctrica del Ecuador – CELEC EP, which is Ecuador’s national electric utility responsible for the country’s generation, transmission, distribution, commercialization, and imports and exports of electricity. The Grantee’s electricity transmission business unit (Transelectric) operates and maintains the country’s electricity transmission assets, including transmission lines, electrical substations, and fiber optic cables.
Project Background
Through its electricity transmission business unit (Transelectric), the Grantee is seeking to develop a digital transformation master plan for Ecuador’s national transmission system. Specifically, the Grantee is looking to introduce digital technologies to improve transmission asset management, including transmission lines and electrical substations. For transmission lines, the introduction of digital and smart grid solutions would improve overall system resilience through the deployment of digital protective relays, remote transmission line monitoring, and flexible alternating current transmission systems. For substations, the introduction of digital solutions would improve operational availability, decrease failure interruption times, and allow for remote monitoring and protection.
About the Technical Assistance
The Technical Assistance will address key aspects related to the digital modernization of Ecuador’s transmission systems, including electrical substation automation, advanced asset monitoring and management, convergence of information technology and operational technology, advanced applications, and new smart grid functions. The anticipated benefits from the Technical Assistance include greater efficiencies that would reduce the cost of electricity transmission operations, improved grid resiliency that would reduce disruptions and accelerate grid recovery, enhanced ability to incorporate renewable energy generation sources, reduced need to visit remote locations to monitor the performance of transmission assets, and enhanced electricity service to residential and industrial customers.