The Mazar hydroelectric plant in Ecuador has reached 15 years of operation, according to the Corporación Eléctrica del Ecuador (CELEC EP). The anniversary was marked by a ceremony at the facility’s machine house on January 13, attended by CELEC EP General Manager Antonio Jácome, Azuay Governor Xavier Bermúdez, local authorities, and community representatives from the Paute Integral Hydroelectric Complex area.
Antonio Jácome stated: “Mazar is a symbol of clean, efficient, and abundant energy, but it is also the engine that promotes local development through our social investment programs, training sessions, support for productive enterprises, and infrastructure works that improve quality of life in this territory.”
Since its commissioning, Mazar has generated 10,981.17 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity. The plant acts as Ecuador’s most important regulating reservoir and is a key part of the Paute Integral Hydroelectric Complex. Together with other facilities in the complex, it supplies about 30 percent of Ecuador’s total electricity production.
The plant features an installed capacity of 170 megawatts (MW), two Francis-type turbines, and a dam able to store 410 million cubic meters of water—six times more than Lake San Pablo. This allows Mazar to store up to 733 GWh of energy and maintain hydrological regulation and system stability.
Over its operational history, Mazar has maintained technical standards with a reliability factor of 97.44 percent and an availability factor of 94.71 percent. These figures reflect the plant’s ability to operate continuously and safely over time.
During the ceremony, commemorative plaques were presented to employees who have served five, ten, fifteen, or twenty years within CELEC SUR Business Unit.
Looking ahead, CELEC EP highlighted ongoing initiatives such as the Floating Photovoltaic Project at Mazar as part of efforts toward a sustainable energy matrix. The organization said this project underscores both government and company commitments to environmental responsibility.
“Mazar does not stop. It evolves and projects into the future with initiatives like the Floating Photovoltaic Project at Mazar,” said CELEC EP in its statement.
