Peru has signed more than US$183m in contracts with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) to modernise the Mantaro hydroelectric complex, a system that supplies about 13% of the country’s electricity. The agreement, finalised on 30 October 2025 with state-owned Electroperú, launches six procurement and supervision processes that will run for 37 months.
The work will target major components across the Santiago Antúnez de Mayolo (SAM) and Restitución (RON) power plants and the Campo Armiño (SECA) sub-station. Planned upgrades include replacing the three main turbines at RON, modernising protection and control systems at SECA, and installing new fire-suppression systems at both generating stations. According to the project documents, the modernisation effort is intended to extend asset life, increase operational reliability, and support national climate-mitigation goals by improving efficiency and reducing associated emissions.
Electroperú General Manager Anddy Rodríguez said: “Thanks to the support of UNOPS we will have a transparent and competitive bidding process, selecting prestigious companies with the highest credentials.” He added, “With this set of projects, we are contributing to climate-change mitigation by reducing greenhouse-gas emissions through the modernisation of the Mantaro Complex equipment.”
UNOPS described the initiative as a major intervention in Peru’s power-generation backbone. Dalila Gonçalves, the agency’s regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean, said: “The modernisation of Peru’s electricity system is a key opportunity to accelerate the transition towards cleaner, more resilient and more accessible energy. With this alliance we are combining public investment, technical innovation and international transparency standards to generate lasting benefits for millions of people.”
The project represents one of the most significant lifecycle upgrades undertaken in Peru’s hydro sector in decades. Work will require coordinated shutdown scheduling, integration of new digital control and protection systems with legacy equipment, and substantial manufacturing and logistics planning for turbine and generator components.
