COSTA RICA NEWS — The Ministerio de Ambiente y Energia (MINAE) – Ministry of Environment and Energcy, in Costa Rica is considering raising the ceiling on the amount of energy private generators are allowed to produce above the current 15%, but these companies are demanding the elimination of the ceiling and free competition.
Private power generation companies are opposed to pricing and limits that are imposed on the participation and sale of power in the country, and consider it a “discriminatory act”.
Mario Alvarado, director of the Costa Rican Association of Power Producers (ACOP), told Nacion.com that “… ‘There is no technical justification; The ceilings are political decisions. The sector is not able to compete as it should.'”
The statements made by Acope arose after the Minister of Environment and Energy announced that “… there is an option to raise the ceiling to which private power generators are forced to adhere to in Costa Rica.” Why set a ceiling on the percentage of participation allowed ? If there were a law to protect rivers and safeguards were established … When their prices are lower, why not buy from them? (…). These projects are coming just in time.'”
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This is one of the more logical decisions I’ve ever heard made in Costa Rica by any Government official. Touche! I hope that all the thermal plants using expensive imported petroleum products from Venezuela to generate electricity, can be closed. There should be ample opportunity to generate all the power requirements that Costa Rica has, from hydroelectric, wind, solar, and geothermal plants, operated purely on resources available within the Country.