El Salvador

Getting Electricity in

El Salvador

Below is a detailed summary of the procedures, time and cost required for a business to obtain an electricity connection for a newly constructed building in El Salvador.

This information was collected as part of the Doing Business project, which measures and compares regulations relevant to the life cycle of a small- to medium-sized domestic business in 185 economies. The most recent round of data collection was completed in June 2012.

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  • Standardized Company

  • Name of Utility: AES El Salvador
  • City: San Salvador

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No. Procedure Time to Complete Associated Costs
1 The client hires an electrician authorized by the Superintendence of Electricity and Telecommunications (SIGET) to request the service with AES EL Salvador and to inspect and certify the internal installation

The service request must be submitted and signed by a certified electrician the Superintendence of Electricity and Telecommunications (SIGET). The customer therefore has to first hire such an electrician.

Agency: Electricista certificado por SIGET (Superintendencia de Electricidad y Telecomunicaciones) 		7 calendar days USD 200.0
2 The client or its electrician submits in person the request for "feasibility of electricity service" with AES El Salvador and awaits the outcome of the report

The customer’s electrician submits the application for a feasibility study. The service request must be signed by a certified electrician the Superintendence of Electricity and Telecommunications (SIGET). With the application the following information should be submitted:

• the load needed (140kVA) and
• the Certificate of Guarantee of Safety of the Internal Electrical Installations, according to the form established by the distributor. The certificate should have been issued by a licensed Electrical Engineer or a certified electrician (submit also copy of the credentials, i.e. that he is accredited as an electrician with SIGET).
• a sketch of geographical location, indicating complete nomenclature and any other reference point that allows quick access to the site.
• Presented with single identity document (Documento Unico de Identidad -DUI), Driving License or Passport.
• If the client cannot appear, he or she has to send a letter requesting the connection of her service, attaching a photocopy of her ID, Driving License or Passport.
• If the service is to be connected to a private line, it must be built according to form 66-E issued by SIGET. Additionally it must submit authorization letter and photocopy of ID, Driving License or Passport of the owner of line.

AES El Salvador will identify the best delivery point for the new connection and send the client a notice authorizing the service.

Agency: AES El Salvador 		14 calendar days USD 90.5
* 3 In order to identify the point of connection and determine the feasibility, AES El Salvador inspects in situ the client's property

To inform the feasibility study a site visit is conducted. It is recommended that a representative of the applicant be present during the inspection.
Agency: AES El Salvador 		10 calendar days no charge
4 After receiving the certificate of feasibility, the client submits the electrical plans for revision together with the official application and requests a cost estimate from AES El Salvador

The customer must submit the following documents with the official application:
• the feasibility report and point of delivery,
• a draft budget,
• Certification of Guarantee of the Security of internal installations (by a responsible electrician),
• electrical plans,
• location sketches, etc

AES El Salvador will then revise the electrical plans, calculate the budget and send it in writing to the client.

Agency: AES El Salvador 		12 calendar days USD 213.1
* 5 AES El Salvador inspects for the second time in order to prepare the budget

Another inspection is performed to inform the budget and the client has to be present.
Agency: AES El Salvador 		7 calendar days no charge
6 The client or his authorized contractor installs the transformers and the cables for the external wiring

Once the customer has received the budget and agrees with it, the client can start preparing the works that fall into his responsibility. He will install the transformers and poles (if needed) and prepare the cables that the utility will later connect to the meter etc..The time estimate for this procedure includes the wait time to obtain the relevant material. Customers have the choice of paying for this investment themselves and for getting in return a lower consumption tariff or asking the utility to bear the investment in return for a higher consumption tariff later on. Most costumers with a load of 140kVA prefer the first option of making the initial investment in return for lower consumption tariffs later on.

Agency: Sub-contratista 		26 calendar days USD 14,500.0
7 The client pays for the connection, signs the supply agreement and waits for AES El Salvador to finalize the external connection

The utility only installs the meter, connects it and makes a service test. Prior to the service connection, the completion of the works of electrical installations is verified in order to schedule the connection. The meter installation is simultaneous with the connection and the electricity begins to flow from the moment the connection is made.
Agency: AES El Salvador 		19 calendar days USD 4,302.0
* Takes place simultaneously with another procedure.
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