The filling limit of the reservoir is between 153.0 and 155.0 meters above sea level, a process that consists of the placement of 17 "STOP LOGS" (concrete blocks) that will close the diversion conduit and will allow reaching the maximum level in the next few days, as explained by the director of the Central Hidroelétrica 3 de febrero, Carlos Mauricio Duque.

"It is truly a source of pride to start damming, to see this change is impressive, to be here and be able to say, we did it, we started to take advantage of the water. Today we are looking at the end of the project, after eleven long years", Daniel Alvarez, President of CEL.

The filling maneuvers are carried out while maintaining the constant flow of the river, guaranteeing the ecological flow downstream. Prior to the filling of the reservoir, we informed the mayors and representatives of the five municipalities that are part of the area of influence of the Hydroelectric Project: Torola, San Luis de la Reina, Villa San Antonio, Carolina and San Isidro about the scope of the filling, clarifying that for the moment it will not affect pedestrian or vehicular traffic on adjacent main streets.

"We are finally achieving what El Salvador had been denied for so long and that was to finish this project that has been a headache for eleven years, we inherited a very serious problem, we had the pandemic, ports and factories were closed and yet we managed to move forward, thanks to teamwork, to the strength of CEL, dedicated to this project for the country", said Alvarez, President of CEL.

After filling the reservoir, the hydromechanical tests will begin and operations at Central Hidroelétrica 3 de febrero are expected to start at the end of 2022.

"We have reached this historic point, the beginning of the filling of the reservoir. A process that was planned well in advance, which is why everything has gone according to plan", said the head of CEL.