ICE Threatens Blackouts
Resulting From
Earthquake
Before Thursday's
devastating killer
earthquake, the
Instituto Costarricense
de Electricidad (ICE)
had threatened with
blackouts for lack of
funds to buy fuel to run
its thermal plants,
demanding from the
regulating authority an
increase in electrical
rates to meet the needs
it faces in 2009.
However, things have now
gotten worse, as the
Cariblanco hydro
electric generating
station in San Miguel de
Sarapiquí de Alajuela
was damaged during the
earthquake and ICE
engineers say it could
take up to a year to
make the repairs.
Greivin Mayorga, the
director de Proyectos y
Servicios del ICE,
explained that
Cariblanco produced 82
Megawatts of power,
which now must be
generated by themral
plants using fossil
fuels and does not rule
out blackouts during the
coming months.
Mayorga explained that
before the earthquake
ICE was to have invested
in 2009 some ¢176
billion colones for
electric generaton at
its thermal plants,
however, with the loss
of Cariblanco, the
institution needs more
money to buy fossil
fuels and needs an
increase or face
blackouts.
Last month the Autoridad
Reguladora de los
Servicios Públicos (Aresep)
approved a 15.11%
increase in electrical
rates. ICE had asked for
a 40.69% increase to
meet its financial needs
for 2009.
ICE's president, Pedro
Pablo Quirós, said last
October that rationed
blackouts would be
normal for 2009. The
statement was made to
pressure the Aresep into
giving ICE the increase
it requested. However,
now with the reality of
the earthquake, the
statement is sure to be
more of a reality than a
threat.
"We still do not know
the extent of the
losses, but it will be
in the millions of
dollars", said Quirós as
ICE engineers continue
to assess the damage to
Cariblanco and other
installations.
Mayorga said that the
machine room at
Cariblanco is completely
gone and many of the
instruments have to be
checked over.
In addition to
Cariblanco, the Toro I
and Toro II, near the
Poás volacano, went
offline automatically
when the earthquake
stuck.
Costa Rica produces 10%
of its electrical energy
from thermal plants and
90% for renewable energy
like hydro electric
plants and windmills.
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