Electricity
in Central America
Thursday, February 2, 2012
The Panamanian electricity sector is opposed to law reforms with which the state aims to improve the electricity market.
Industry representatives at the forum ‘Challenges and Threats in the Electricity Sector’ presented ideas and various solutions to solve current problems.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Through amendments to the law, the Panamanian government is aiming to improve conditions in the electricity market.
"The purchase of energy in the occasional market in Panama costs the state about $100 million annually, said the Secretary of Energy, Juan Urriola. Because of this, authorities have submitted to the National Assembly an amendment to the Law of February 6, 1997, which seeks to improve the national electricity market", reported PanamaAmerica.com.pa.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
In view of the lack of future of the bill to modernize the electricity market in Costa Rica, a tender is being prepared for the supply of 200 MW under the current law.
The state-owned Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), the giant of the national electricity market, still has the option of opening electricity generation projects that would produce about 196.1 MW in total, the government said.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Thirty-three companies have submitted their technical and financial bids for the tender for the provision of 800 MW of power over the next fifteen years.
Participating in the process are four power stations providing energy using biomass and coal, two windmills and several hydroelectric power companies.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Subsidies in the last 6 years amounted to $430 million; authorities have announced reductions and the first casualties will be heavy users.
The government of Panama has taken the first steps towards cutting subsidies for electricity, and the first sector affected may consumers using between 451 and 500 kW, 2% of total users, authorities said.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
The Panamanian Cabinet Council has approved an amendment to the Law of February 6th , 1997 which aims to improve the national electricity market.
A press release from the National Secretariat of Energy reads:
The Cabinet Council has approved an amendment to the Law of February 6th , 1997 that seeks to improve the national electricity market with a view to distribution companies fulfilling their obligation to contract out all of their demand in order to produce a secure supply to end customers.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
By 2026, the country will generate 78% of its energy from renewable sources.
The changes proposed to the Generation System Expansion Plan 2012-2026 have already been approved by the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM).
In 2012, it is is expected to generate 50.5% from hydroelectric sources, 3.6% from geothermal sources, 3.5% from bunker fuel, 12% from biomass, 9% from the electrical interconnection with Mexico and 21.3% from coal.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The construction and assembly of the coal-based plant power by Jaguar CMNC Guatemala requires workers with skills that do not exist in the country.
Attempts by the subsidiary of China Machine New Energy Corporation to get skilled labor from the labor market in Guatemala, have been unsuccessful.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The Electric Transmission Company of Panama (ETESA), is putting out to tender the delivery and construction of transmission lines for the Colon Phase II project.
The objectives of the project are to to strengthen the existing 115 kV transmission line from Bahia Las Minas - Panama, to provide interconnection points which will be installed in the Colon area and to provide robust and reliable transmission with a capacity of over 450MW. ETESA requires the construction of transmission lines as follows:
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Nicaragua managed to cover 48% of the population’s domestic demand with renewable energy, producing 219.8 MW.
A press release by ProNicaragua reads:
Nicaragua managed to cover 48 percent of the national demand from the population with renewable energy, producing 219.8 megawatts of power from wind farms, hydroelectric, biomass and geothermal stations, according to data provided by the Ministry of Energy and the National Center for Cargo Dispatch.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Of the five wind farms to be built in the province of Cocle, two of them have started earthworks.
In the communities of Toabré and Anton, the company Fersa Panama has started work on the two projects that will generate 330 megawatts of energy.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Report of technical and commercial management of the Regional Operating Agency in December 2011.
The Regional Operating Agency (EOR in Spanish) is responsible for "leading and coordinating the operation of the Regional Electricity System (SER in Spanish) and administrating the Regional Electricity Market (MER in Spanish), with transparency and excellence, according to the Regional Regulations."
Monday, January 16, 2012
The non-enactment of the Regional Electricity Market Regulations (RMER) is preventing the Guatemalan hydroelectric station Xacbal from selling 30MW to a distributor in El Salvador.
On 1st January the Hydroelectric station Xacbal, part of the Terra Group, should have initiated the sale of 30MW to Salvadoran distributor CAESS, according to a contract signed by both companies in 2008.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
The General Superintendency for Electricity has set a new date, February 9th 2012, for the deadline for submission of bids for the long term supply of 350MW.
With this move the regulator has ruled in favor of the company Cutuco Energy who appealed against a change in the date.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Since December 22nd, 51 turbines of 2.0 MW each have provided the National Electric Power Company in Honduras, with more than 100 MW.
The wind farm, the largest in the region, is located 24 kilometers south of the capital, Tegucigalpa. The contract with the Honduran state energy company is for a 20 year term.
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