El Salvador - GFDRR

82 | El Salvador: Damage, Loss, and Needs Assesment
There were no damages to power plants. In the electricity transmission system, landslides and erosion
affected the bases of numerous transmission towers, one substation and one of ETESAL’s facilities. These
will require work to avoid and mitigate disasters in the future. In the distribution networks, there were
damages to the systems of DELSUR and AES; these were repaired quickly, using the equipment and supplies
available in their workshops and warehouses.
With regard to system operation and electricity distribution, the service was quickly and effectively
reestablished in a relatively brief period, although in some isolated zones it took longer. This assumed
higher operating costs and, due to the destruction of a relatively high number of houses and small- and
medium-scale businesses, there has been a slight decrease in demand and sales of electricity which will
only be recovered in the medium term, in line with these users’ reconstruction process.
The heavy and unusual precipitation that occurred during the natural event made it possible to store
significant volumes of water in the systems’ dams in the Lempa River basin. This allowed around 97.9
gigawatts/hour of hydroelectricity to be generated between November of last year and May 2010, displacing
the equivalent in thermal generation, with the consequent savings in generation which will be passed
on to users.
In summary, estimated damages totaled US$690,000, and the companies were obliged to spend unforeseen
funds to rehabilitate supply and to avoid greater damages, in the amount of an extra US$2.13
million, with the consequent negative effect on their expected financial results. Through the introduction
of savings in power generation estimated at US$7.89 million, the sector shows a net benefit of US$5.76
million resulting from greater generation in the hydroelectric plants (see Table 29).
TABLE 29. ESTIMATED DAMAGES AND LOSSES IN THE ELECTRICITY SECTOR
System Component
Effects (in millions of US dollars)
Property
Damages Losses Total Public Private
Generation system – – 7.89 – 7.89 – 7.89
Higher hydropower generation – 7.89 – 7.89 – 7.89
Transmission system – 1.32 1.32 1.32
Mitigation costs: towers, substation and facility 1.32 1.32 1.32
Distribution system 0.69 0.81 1.50 – 1.50
Damages to distribution networks 0.69 0.69 0.69
System rehabilitation costs – –
Damage assessment cost – –
Higher operating costs 0.06 0.06 0.06
Fewer electricity sales 0.75 0.75 0.75
Total 0.69 – 5.76 – 5.07 – 6.57 1.50
Source: Estimates by assessment mission based on information from SIGET and companies.
B.3.3 Transportation Sector
The damages and losses caused by the disaster had an especially severe effect on bridges, causing some
to collapse and significant damages to other structures. Landslides caused costs and obstructions to
pavement. Fortunately, the damages are less than those that occurred on similar occasions: for example,
during Hurricanes Mitch in 1998 and Stan in 2005, and the 2001 earthquakes.