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Electrical Energy Costs More
During January And August
Been puzzled why your electrical
bill has been so high over the
last few months? The answer is
simple, during the months of
January through August,
electrical service costs some
20% more than during September
and December. The fact was a
reminded by the Autoridad
Reguladora de Servicios Públicos
(Aresep) which sets prices for
public prices and services.
The Instituto Costarricende de
Electricidad (ICE) - the state
monopoly on energy and
telecommunications - says that
the higher prices during January
and August is due to the lower
water levels at energy
production plants, meaning the
institution has to resort to
higher cost generating methods.
For example, an average monthly
bill for the consumption of 250
KWH during January 1 and August
31 is ¢9.800 colones (us$19.50)
and only ¢8.125 (us$16.20)
during September 1 and December
31, a reduction of ¢1.675
colones.
Electrical energy in Costa Rica
is produced by ICE and
distributed throughout the
country by various power
companies and at different
rates, like the Compañia
Nacional de Fuerza y Luz (CNFL)
in San José, the Junta
Administrativa del Servicio
Eléctrico in Cartago and the
Empresa de Servicios Públicos in
Heredia.
Energy prices during peak
periods are the most expensive
at ICE which charges its
customers ¢34.5 KWH, followed by
Cooopesantos at ¢34.4 KHW. The
lowest priced energy is supplied
by Empresa de Servicios Públicos
de Heredia, charging customers
only ¢25.5 KHW. The CNFL, a
wholly owned subsidiary of ICE
charges its customers ¢28
colones per Kilowatt Hour, while
Coopeguanacaste charges ¢29.5
KWH.
In addition, rates are variable
during peak consumption times.
The hours between 10am and
12:30pm and 5:30pm and 8pm
Monday to Friday, are the most
costly than at other times of
the day or weekends. For
example, at the CNFL, the rate
during peak hours is ¢48.10 KWH,
and as low as ¢19.3 KWH during
low times.
Of course, after Semana Santa,
we can all expect an increase in
energy rates as the Aresep will
consider a request for a rate
hike on electrical energy of
between 6% and 14.5%.
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