Enel Green Power Guatemala has been honored in the Environment and Innovation categories at the nation’s 2020 Industrial Awards in recognition of its outstanding performance and for being a source of inspiration for the rest of industry. The award in the Environment category, presented by the Camera de Industria de Guatemala at a ceremony in front of 2,500 people, was for its project “Management of waste from the Samala’ River.” This involved the Hidroelectrico El Canada plant, one of four EGP installations in the country. "Winning the Industrial 2020 award in the environment category is an action that confirms the interest and commitment we have as a company in this matter, even the topic of Innovation is one of our four organizational values… All Enel employees are proud to belong to a company that is committed to the Sustainable Development Goals worldwide and proof of this is that it always seeks to improve the environment of the communities where it operates”. José Antonio Sánchez – Country manager The waters of the Samala’ River in southwestern Guatemala are among the most polluted in the country, carrying quantities of solid waste from activities taking place in the waterway’s upper reaches. This interfered with the operation of the El Canada plant, with the winter runoff that passes through the upper and middle parts of the Samala’ River Basin, carrying all kinds of waste. Environment and safety policies, as well as sustainability, meant that this was a problem that had to be solved. To handle the large amount of solid waste, EGP had to install a whole new infrastructure at the facility. This included a system of channels to take the waste away after removal, and a collection yard with a drainage system and waterproof floor to prevent leaching to the water table. A way of taking waste to the transport area had to be installed, and a storage site for the waste once it was collected and labelled also had to be chosen. "That the Guatemalan Chamber of Industry has taken us into account to participate in this category speaks volumes about the effort that Enel Green Power Guatemala makes to optimally manage the care of the environment in all our work sites and especially in the sensitive area, due to the level of contamination of the river, such as the El Canada Plant". Leonardo Tinti – Head of HSEQ Guatemala The company reached the finals of the Innovation category and hopes to be able to take part next year with some of the projects it has already developed. It plans to show how creative and ingenious Guatemalans are when an interesting and ambitious mission is in play. "Being nominated in the Innovation Category was a great achievement for Enel Green Power Guatemala, taking into account that we have only been working under a structured scheme for two years, and one year with the Innovation Ambassadors Program. This nomination proves that we are moving in the right direction towards the creation of a true Culture of Innovation, and that we are already considered among the most innovative companies in the country". Desireé Díaz, Head of Strategic Projects
