Andina

President Vizcarra: All Peruvians must have access to optimal electrical energy by 2021

00:18 | Lima, Nov. 15.

President Martin Vizcarra has affirmed one of his administration's goals for the nation's Independence Bicentennial (2021) is that all Peruvians have access to electrical energy in optimal conditions.

"Closing that gap is not only an imperative for equal opportunities to benefit all Peruvians. It also helps improve people's quality of life and achieve productive development. Without energy, without electricity, there can't be sustainable development," he expressed.

During the closing of the Sun World 2019 event on Thursday night, the statesman said one of the goals in the rural area is to approach the 100% coverage.

According to data from the Energy and Mines Ministry, 73% of rural households had electric service in 2018. At the end of the current year, a total of 109,000 new homes will rely on electric energy, achieving a national coverage of 80%. To meet that goal, more than 220,000 additional households will be connected to the network between 2020 and 2021.

"The project has allowed us to move the massive photovoltaic program forward, with which 117,000 solar panels have been installed, thus benefiting 115,000 households, 1,748 schools, and 306 health centers in the most remote areas," he stated.

Renewable energy

The President mentioned that experiences in the use of renewable energy —such as that of an engineer who built a solar-powered agricultural plant in northern Lambayeque region or that of a Andean Ayacucho region-based engineer who created a pot that boosts photovoltaic panels' generation with the use of plant photosynthesis— enable an important change and improve people's quality of life.

Another dimension of the renewable energy use, he noted, is the care of the environment, because this type of energy has the potential to become the engine driving global energy transformation and decarbonizing the economies.

The Head of State said Latin America has the unique natural conditions to develop renewable energy —as well as a sense of urgency— because it has been impacted by climate change, just like the rest of the world.

(END) FHG/MVB

Published: 11/15/2019