ICE Prepares Blackout
Schedule For 2009
Pedro Pablo Quirós,
president of the
Instituto Costarricense
de Electricidad (ICE),
said yesterday that the
institution does not
have sufficient funds to
purchase fuel to
generate sufficient
electrical energy and
that ICE engineers will
be begin tomorrow to
program a blackout
schedule for 2009.
Quirós explained that
the engineers are
expected to define how
many hours a day and the
areas where electrical
service will be
suspended.
Quirós predicts 2009 a
catastrophic year for
the institution and the
country.
According the ICE
president, engineers are
working to repair a
number of generating
plants, on plans to save
on diesel fuel and that
there is an expected low
water level at the hydro
electric generating
plants.
"At the time that we
must produce electricity
with diesel have to pay
and no longer can
continue subsidizing, we
must pay it with the
rates", said Quirós.
Quirós added that part
of the plan is run
simulations to determine
if the rates charged by
the institution will be
enough to be able to
purchase diesel fuel.
Quirós said that the
blackouts are expected
to be on a daily basis
and that the only way to
avoid them is to
increase electrical
rates by 50%.
For his part, the
director de Energía de
la Aresep, Álvaro
Barrantes, said that the
studies are underway and
no decision will be made
until they have been
completed.
ICE estimates that it
will need ¢176 billion
colones to purchase
diesel fuel for 2009,
almost double of what
spent this year.
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