Costa Rica’s Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) is escalating fuel consumption to cater to the growing electricity demand. July traditionally sees minimal thermal contribution, but that has dramatically changed this year.
Garabito Thermal Plant: The Impact on Electricity Rates
The Garabito thermal plant’s turbines have been significantly utilized this year to meet electricity supply needs. This increase in fuel-burning operations will inevitably lead to higher electricity bills for consumers in the year’s final quarter.
El Niño Phenomenon: The Key Driver
The El Niño phenomenon, characterized by reduced rainfall and a pronounced dry season, is the primary cause of the increased reliance on fuel. This lack of rain has drastically cut the water resources available for hydroelectric plants and even led to a rationing in the supply of drinking water.
Garabito Plant’s Contribution to National Electricity Consumption
In the first 17 days of July alone, the Garabito plant generated 10,877 MWh of electricity, out of a national total of 549,009 MWh. This production corresponds to 2% of the country’s overall consumption.
Importing Electricity: A Solution to Meet Demand
In addition to increased thermal generation, ICE has heavily relied on electricity imports from other Central American nations to fulfill domestic demand. These measures – thermal generation and energy imports – have caused a 10.21% rise in electricity rates, which will be reflected in the next quarter adjustments beginning in October.
