Public Package Report WP 4: Bolivia

OPET Latin America (OLA)

2005

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Bolivia is one of the few countries in South America that is energy self-sufficient, although it has to import certain quantities of oil products. The hydrocarbon reserves, particularly those of natural gas were increased exponentially, and it is for that reason that Bolivia at the moment has a great export potential in the hydrocarbon sector. In the electric sector the installed capacity supplies the internal market with sufficiency. However index of coverage in the rural area is very low, mainly caused by the low population density and the long distance between communities, limiting extension of the electric grids due to the high costs those distances imply as well as the low levels of consumption in the rural areas. In 1985, Bolivia began a process of liberalization of its economy through reforms called "first generation reforms" effecting directly to the energy sector since 1994 with the promulgation of the Capitalization Law (March 21 1994), the Regulation Systems Law of (October 28 1994) and mainly the Law of Electricity (#1604 of December 21 1994). [Energy Context]

Bolivia; Electricidad; Energía; Sector eléctrico; Sector energético;