Two years later, the story of electrification of Talara Medical Center

In 2022, Ecoswell and the Fondation Nexans joined forces to equip the Talara medical center in Peru with a solar-powered electrical system. In 2025, Ecoswell and Indeco by Nexans returned to the site to see the long-term impact of the project.

Although South America fares relatively well in terms of access to electricity, Peru remains one of the least served countries on the continent, with coverage reaching 96.2% of the population. In Talara, however, the challenge extends far beyond simple access.

Located in the north of the country, Talara is a large city of around 100,000 inhabitants. While electricity is available, outages are both frequent and prolonged, as explained in 2022 by Dr. Armando Galan of the city’s medical center:

“The city often faces distribution issues. Sometimes we go up to three days without electric lighting.”
— Dr. Armando Galan, Director of the Talara Medical Center

Such interruptions pose serious risks. How can the cold chain be maintained to preserve vaccines if refrigerators lose power? How can patients be safely operated on if essential medical equipment shuts down? It was to address these critical vulnerabilities that Ecoswell sought the support of the Nexans Foundation.

Indeco, the Fondation Nexans and Ecoswell: coming together to build resilient medical services

Ecoswell’s initiative was selected during our 2022 call for projects. The goal was clear: to fund the installation of a reliable, solar-powered electrical system. Feasibility studies began at the end of 2022, and the project continued through 2023 until full completion at the end of the year.

Alongside the Foundation’s financial support, Indeco by Nexans also played an active role. Cable donations, skills-based volunteering, guidance through administrative procedures—the sustainable electrification of the medical center was a collective effort that extended well beyond the Foundation alone.

Project highlights:

A lasting impact for the community

Even in the first weeks following installation, beneficiaries and project partners shared their enthusiasm. The improvements were immediate and tangible: the cold chain, the pharmacy, the emergency department—all continued operating without interruption despite ongoing challenges with the local grid.

In 2025, Ecoswell returned to Talara to observe the benefits two years later. The results are shared in the video below.

The Talara medical center stands as a strong example of the Fondation Nexans' mission: supporting projects that serve the greatest number of people, while remaining sustainable both environmentally and over time.