COSTA RICA NEWS – The price for a litre of super gasoline jumps ¢29 colones, breaking the ¢800 barrier, at a minute after midnight tonight. At 12:01am Friday, the price goes from today’s ¢787 to ¢816.
The price of a litre of regular also increases ¢27 colones, from ¢761 to ¢788.
A litre of diesel, however, drops ¢13, from the current ¢689 to ¢676. Natural Gas also drops ¢15 colones, to ¢334 from the current ¢349.
The change in prices was scheduled to take effect Saturday, the day following publication in La Gaceta (the official government newsletter) and typically within five days of approval.
But the La Gaceta was accelerated publication and and will take effect tonight (Thursday).
The change in price is due to a request by the state refinery, the Refinadora Costarricense de Petróleo (RECOPE) and approved yesterday by the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (Aresep).
This is the sixth increase of fuel prices approved this year.
The RECOPE made the request last June 23 and generated huge criticism.
Critics included President Luis Guillermo Solís, who demanded of Regulador Dennis Meléndez to provide a detailed report on the method used to fix gasoline prices.
Criticism also centred on the scheduling of public hearings in the midst of World Cup fervor in Costa Rica, demanding the July 1 hearings be postponed to after the games.
The current methodology applied to set gasoline prices includes the variations oil prices on international markets, RECOPE operating costs and taxes.
In January, a litre of super gasoline was ¢672, ¢144 colones cheaper than when the new price goes into effect.
Sources: La Nacion, Diario Extra, CRHoy.com
