Townhall Session
Technology and Applications in Latin America
Andrés Narváez Portillo,
Executive Director CENACE.
Ecuador
Andrés Narváez is an electrical engineer with more than twenty-five years of solid professional experience in the power sector. He has been distinguished for leading, managing, and coordinating mission-critical systems for the planning and operation of the Ecuadorian electric power system.
He holds a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Escuela Politécnica Nacional of Ecuador, where he also served as a lecturer.
Throughout his career, he has held strategic positions at the National Electricity Operator (CENACE), including National Manager of Technical Development and National Deputy Manager of Real-Time Services.
He has published several technical articles in IEEE, ECUACIER, and the technical journal Energía. His research and professional interests include Energy Control Centers, Automatic Generation Control, State Estimation, SCADA protocols, Cybersecurity of critical power system assets, Energy Efficiency, and Smart Grids, among others.
María Nohemí Arboleda
General Manager of XM.
Colombia
María Nohemí Arboleda is a recognized expert in the Colombian power sector. She is an electrical engineer from the National University of Colombia and holds both a Master’s degree and a Specialization in Electrical Transmission and Distribution Engineering from the Pontifical Bolivarian University of Medellín.
Her extensive professional career, combined with her human qualities, strong values, natural leadership, and solid technical expertise, has enabled her to inspire the professionals with whom she works. She has made significant contributions to the sector through key leadership roles at ISA, including Director of Market Transactions, Director of Commercial Transactions, and Director of Operations Planning.
Rafael Zymler
Executive Manager for Strategic Transformation ONS
Brazil
He is the Executive Manager of Strategic Transformation at the National Electric System Operator (ONS), Brazil, responsible for strategic planning, definition of organizational goals, performance indicators, innovation, data governance, ESG agenda, and monitoring of strategic projects.
He previously worked for ten years in short-term power system planning, with a focus on interconnection limits between the subsystems of the Brazilian National Interconnected System.
He holds a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) (2020) and a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, with emphasis on Power Systems, from the University of Brasília (2014). He also participated in the Science Without Borders program at the University of Toronto, Canada, in 2012.
Andrés Tozzo
Division Manager for National Load Dispatch and Operation Planning and Studies UTE
Uruguay
Eng. Andrés Tozzo has held the position of Division Manager for National Load Dispatch and Operation Planning and Studies at UTE, playing a key role in the operation of the Uruguayan electric power system. Throughout his career, he has been a central figure in system operations, having also served in roles such as Load Dispatch Manager.
While the specific details of his current position may vary, his professional trajectory reflects sustained leadership and technical responsibility within the national power system operation of Uruguay.
Ernesto Huber
Executive Director, National Electric Coordinator (CEN)
Chile
Ernesto Huber is a Civil Electrical Engineer from the University of Chile, holds an MBA from Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, and a Diploma in Project Evaluation and Management from the University of Chile. He has more than 30 years of experience in the electricity sector, with professional experience in generation and transmission companies.
In 1998 and part of 1999, he served as Secretary of the Board of Directors of CDEC-SIC. In 1999, he joined CDEC-SIC, which was constituted that year as an independent organization, as Head of the Operation Planning Department. From 2005 to 2016, he held the position of Deputy Director of Operations, and between July 2013 and October 2014, he served as Interim Director of Operations.
From 2017 to 2022, he was Operations Manager of the National Electric Coordinator, and since May 2022, he has served as Executive Director (CEO) of the National Electric Coordinator (CEN), Chile.
In addition to his executive role, he is Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Chile and also teaches in the Master’s Program in Energy Economics at Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María.