Electricity Costlier Following Blackouts
Following two weeks of blackouts due to rationing by the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), customers will be paying more on their light bill, following a decision by the Autoridad Reguladora de los Servicios Públicos (Aresep).

The regulating authority yesterday approved a 4% hike in the price of electrical power supplied by the Compañía Nacional de Fuerza y Luz (CNFL) - an ICE subsidiary - that delivers power to 480.000 customers.

The increase is for the areas of San José, Río Segundo de Alajuela, areas of Hereida and La Unión.

According to Aresep are for the CNFL to meet increased operating costs, including depreciation of equipment and salaries.

The CNFL purchases electrical energy from ICE, which was denied a rate increase two weeks ago by the Aresep - two days before the blackouts - and delivers the power to consumers, both residential and business.