Paraguay Becomes First South American Nation to Use 100 Percent Renewable Electricity

President Mario Abdo Benitez wears a face mask as he arrives for a ceremony in tribute to veterans of the 1932–1935 Chaco War between Paraguay and Bolivia, at the Victoria barracks in San Lorenzo, Paraguay, on June 12, 2020. Jorge Adorno/Reuters

SANTA CRUZ, Bolivia—With the electrification of the Bahia Negra plant on Dec. 29, the National Electricity Administration of Paraguay (ANDE) declared the nation now runs on 100 percent renewable electricity.

The transition of the Bahia Negra energy station marked a critical turning point, as it was the last thermal power plant in the country.