The lack of rain in the country has not only affected the aquifers that supply drinking water to the various communities, which have had to endure rationing, it has also forced the state power utility to use water reserves in the dams in conjunction with other generating systems to keep eletricity flowing.
Elbert Duran, spokesperson for the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) said the lack of rain in the country has affected the area basins where hydroelectric plants are located.
The ICE official added that Arenal reservoir – the Arenal lake – has been fundamental in this crisis.
But the Arenal also depends on adequate rainfall to maintain a good level, this year being one of the worst.
The low reservoir levels has forced ICE to step up electrical production using fossil fuel (bunker and diesel) generators, in combination with wind generators.
Duran said that while ICE has been impacted by the decreased rainfall and have to be very calculating in using water reserves, there have been no problems in providing electrical services to the country.
