Costa Rican president inaugurates Torito Hydroelectric Plant

November 23rd, 2015 (EFE) Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis and the chairman of Spanish multinational utility Gas Natural Fenosa, Salvador Gabarro, inaugurated a 50 MW hydroelectric power station on Friday.

The Torito Hydroelectric Plant will be operated for 20 years by Global Power Generation, a Gas Natural Fenosa unit.

The Costa Rican Electricity Institute, or ICE, in 2008 awarded Gas Natural the rights to build and operate the plant, a project that has required an investment outlay of $190 million.

Gas Natural says the launch of operations of this new plant makes it the country’s largest private power producer.

“These types of projects being developed in the country in many strategic areas are proof that Costa Rica offers stable conditions for investors,” Solis said during Friday’s inauguration ceremony.

The hydroelectric power station – located on the right bank of the Reventazon River, some 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) downstream from Gas Natural Fenosa’s La Joya hydro plant – is designed to supply electricity to nearly 95,000 people, the Barcelona-based utility said.

A 3.5-kilometer (2.1-mile) tunnel was built to channel waters from the Angostura hydro plant to Torito.