Electrical Power Rationing Returns
Curiously enough. two days after the Autoridad Reguladora de Servicios Públicos (Aresep) turned down a rate increase and one day following the warning by president, Pedro Pablo Quirós, the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) again began rationing electrical energy throughout the country.

On Monday the Aresp denied ICE - the state monopoly on electrical energy and telecommunications - a 23% increase in electrical rates, saying that the blackout of April 19 and the rationing as a factor.

On Tuesday, Quirós said the Aresp decision threatens the entire country as ICE, without the additional revenue, would not be able to afford purchases of fuel to feed the generators, even though the Institución had a surplus in revenue for 2006.

Last night, ICE announced new electrical service rationing that will affect the entire country, blaming the shortage on the low water levels at the Cachí hydroelectric generating station reservoir.

According to Salvador Lopéz of ICE, the low production at Cachí plant means a shortage of electrical energy and has forced the institution to ration the available power.

The rationing will be from between 5:00am and 11:00pm in all areas of the country, though power cuts will be not longer than 2 or 3 hours in the affected area.

Lopéz added that the cuts are to stabilize the levels at Cachí and will be for indefinite period of time, nature playing a large role in how long the rationing will continue.

The following rationing schedule was prepared and released for today for the Central Valley: