Electricity To Cost More
The year has began with
a wave of increases as
the Compañía Nacional de
Fuerza y Luz (CNFL) -
light and power company
- joins the list of
increases in the coming
months along with bus
fares and gasoline.
The CNFL has requested a
6% increase to the
Autoridad Reguladora de
los Servicios Públicos (Aresep)
- the government agency
that regulates public
prices and services.
What the increase means
to the pocket book is
that a consumption of
350 Kilowatts of power
will cost residential
customers ¢16.900 and
¢70.000 for commercial
customers.
The CNFL, a division of
the Instituto
Costarricense de
Electricidad (ICE), has
464.000 customers
providing light and
power to most of San
José and other parts of
the Central Valley.
However, light and power
could be more costly
that what the CNFL is
asking for, as ICE is
waiting an answer on a
request to increase of
32%. ICE distributes
electrical power to its
own customers directly
and to the utility
companies like the CNFL.
"If ICE's 32% increase
is approved, the effect
on CNFL customers will
be an increase of 22% of
the cost electrical
service", said Carlos
Fonseca, head of the
Sección de
Administración
Financiera de CNFL.
Before either increase
is approved, the Aresep
must call public
hearings before it can
render a decision that
would go into effect in
April.
The last time the CNFL
had an increase in rates
was in July 2007. |
|
