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COSTA RICA |
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Lack
Of Rainfall Forces Possible Higher
Electricity Rates
The lack of rainfall this rainy season will
cost us all as the Instituto Costarricense
de Electricidad (ICE) is readying to request
an increase in electrical rates as it faces
higher expenditures in the generation of
electricity to keep the lights on in Costa
Rica.
The lack of rainfall in the Central Valley,
Pacific and Northern zone also has farmed
and ranchers worried, as they are finding it
more difficult every day to feed their
livestock and sowing their crops.
For ICE, it has had to spend during the last
18 days in excess of ¢3.3 billion colones on
fuel purchases used to generate electricity
at its thermal plants, while the hydro
plants drop in production due to low flow
rates and reservoir levels drop to dangerous
lows.
Salvador López, del Centro de Control de
Energía del ICE assures that there won't be
any blackouts or rationing this year as in
2007, but that will come at high price and
as such ICE will soon be asking the
Autoridad Reguladora de Servicios Públicos (ARESEP)
for an increase to offset the higher costs
this year.
The ARESEP is the same regulating body that
sanctioned ICE this week ¢1.5 billion
colones for overcharging with its 900
telephone service
"There is a serious shortage of rainfall due
to El Niño, in fact in the month of October
there was a deficit of 12% in the Central
Valley," said meteorologist Max Mena.
The meteriologist added that the effect of
El Niño could affect Costa Rica until next
March.
Salvador López of ICE said that the state
power utility will need greater budgetary
requirements and for that it will need to
seek a rate increase to offset the increased
costs.
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