Candidates differ in actions to ensure and lower the electricity

Araya points to spend in more private energy and change the diesel and bunker to natural gas

Solis would consider remove from ICE the fuel tribute at ICE and revise the tariff costs

February 24th, 2014.

Presidential candidates , Johnny Araya, National Liberation , and Luis Guillermo Solís , Citizen Action , differ on most measures to ensure national electrical service and lower rates .

The energy issue became central point on the agenda of the two candidates after repeated complaints of employers about the high cost of electricity, which rose to 30% in 2013, and its impact on competitiveness.

In response to these demands, the government candidate put in black and white plans .

Araya calls for more open space to private generators and eliminate legal limits in the case of projects for renewable energy sources such as wind ( using the wind ) , solar or biomass (waste) .

It also supports the measure electrical contingency presented by this government , but only in terms of private generation up 15 % to 30 % of installed capacity and allow larger plants .

Private service cheaper than state power .

Also, Araya bet replacing power plants based on diesel and bunker for natural gas, because it is cheaper and cleaner .

The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad ( ICE) is already working on a plan to convert Moin thermal plant to natural gas.

Luis Guillermo Solis , meanwhile, promotes a short-term action as exempt from payment of the single tax on fuel purchased by the ICE to generate electricity.

However, the applicant clarified that this is only a possibility to study , since the impact of the measure on the price would be very low , " and 2%" . Also, would a tax gap .

Carlos Obregón, exgerente Energy and ICE spokesman Solis in the matter, said that another alternative is to revise the rate schedule to determine whether light can eliminate some costs.

Unlike his verdiblanco rival, the candidate of the Citizen Action Party ( PAC ) has no clear its position on private generation . In his meetings with businessmen , offered to form a committee to review the issue.

The only certainty is his rejection of the full opening of the electricity market, where the ICE and private compete in the same condition.

"That's a tough issue within the PAC , but we agree to discuss these other options because the opening does not solve the price problem ," he said after leaving a meeting with industrialists.

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129 families in the northern border premiere electricity service

With this group the rural electrification project that began in 2011 is completed

Project involved investment of ¢3,500 million and covers a total of 1,500 families

February 22nd, 2014.

Vilma Elizondo waited nearly 25 years for electricity reached Cutris Tiricias of town opposite the Costa Rican side of the river San Juan de Nicaragua.

The wait was 20 years for Mario Cambronero, neighbor Cutris Frills of San Carlos.

The rural electrification project in the border area in northern Iraq yesterday concluded 100% of its coverage to reach the last 129 families were missing, a total of 1,500 across the region.

The initiative was launched in 2011 by the Electrification Cooperative of San Carlos (Coopelesca), the Department of Social Development and Family Allowances (Challenges for Left Refoundation), and the Municipality of San Carlos.

A ceremony to terminate the works held in the gymnasium of San Joaquin Cutris, attended by the President of the Republic, Laura Chinchilla, along with other members of his cabinet, including Minister of Social Welfare, Fernando Marin, and the Communication, Carlos Roverssi.

"This whole area is with 100% penetration of electricity," noted Chinchilla on the spot.

The investment to realize this project was around ¢ 3,500 million, mainly contributed by the Challenges for Left Refoundation.

Meanwhile, CEO Coopelesca, Omar Miranda, noted that 95% of the 1,500 families benefited people living with low development index and are low-income.

"We walked 49 years in pursuit of this goal and finally we succeeded," said Miranda, now announcing Coopelesca the goal of generating all the electricity they need partners was proposed.

In Costa Rica, 13,800 households (1%) still do not have electricity, which represents about 47,000 people, according to Census 2011.

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Residents from San Carlos will have the option to generate their own electricity

Idea is to promote small generations plants based on renewable sources

Associate will save in receipts and surplus of energy produced that will benefit others

February 13th, 2014.

Cooperative Rural Electrification of San Carlos (Coopelesca) drive among its members, this year, the installation of small power plants for their own consumption, based on clean and renewable energy.

The distributed generation plan will allow consumers to participate provided their electricity and, if over, remove to the Cooperative Network for use of other, said Marcelino Blanco, deputy Energy Production.

So Coopelesca may, in the future, meet energy demand without increasing their energy purchases to the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) or other generator. Last year, 60% of the electricity consumed by 75,000 associates generated Coopelesca the cooperative own the remaining 40% were buying it to ICE.

The initiative addresses associated with properties or other conditions allow them to install plants no more than 10 kilowatts (kW) of capacity, the source of generation is hydroelectric, wind, solar or biomass (electricity produced from organic matter).

White stated that 20 potential candidates and analyze proposals for hydroelectric generation and have identified 10 potential based on sunlight and five other biomass.

The implementation is at an early stage because Coopelesca recently approved the policy by which this campaign will encourage the steps and requirements for applicants and the legal agreement between the parties to the interconnection between plants installed and the core network.

The main bases of all are that the investment will pay all associated project-which will be owner-but agrees to assign, without the mediation of payment, your surplus electricity.

Of course, neither would be required to meet a quota. Its real benefit is long-term savings.

"If we create this culture of electricity with clean energy could overcome the use of fossil fuels and translate into more competitive rates and associated saving money every month," said the representative of the Cooperative.

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ICE launches pilot plan to get those interested in generate their own electricity

February 13th, 2014

Since 2010, the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) has launched a pilot program aimed at interested in generating your own electricity and save money with this.

Three years later, the initiative adds 138 power plants based on clean energy.

Each investment accepted into the program ICE must base its generation from renewable energy sources (wind, sunlight, water channels) and connect to the main network of the Institute.

In addition, the installed generation capacity can not exceed the usual who invested in the plant, as evidenced by a report of the entity, consumption available on its website and developed by engineer Alexandra Arias. She is listed as responsible for the plan.

The program was launched in October 2010, for a term of two years. During that time, the goal was to get the participants were achieved five megawatts (mW) of installed capacity.

A mW is 1,000 kilowatts (kW). In Costa Rica, a household consumes per month averaged 0.2 mW.

However, in 2012 the ICE plan extended to 2015 and varied target: the aim now is to produce 10 mW of power among all installed.

Results. Notwithstanding good omen for the initiative, takeoff, but in slow motion, occurred in very slow motion.

After starting two months passed before a client will connect to the ICE project its own generation. It got better in 2011, when 23 projects connected with a total of 102.28 kilowatts (kW) installed.

At the end of 2012 had 43 clients interconnected and last year, ICE received 134 applications, of which 73 were interconnected other customers

For last December, there were 199 applications to participate that would provide a power of 6 mW.

Of these orders have already been logged 748.51 kW and studied to approval remaining 5.2 mW. Of all, and the installation of 161 approved three were rejected and there are 35 applications in analysis, the report of the Institute.

Requests, 187 (94%) rely on sunlight, six are hydroelectric plants, two wind and biomass (organic waste) proposed in Guanacaste.

If the latter were to become reality, it would generate a power of 4.5 mW.

Application for study for this project was received on April 25, 2013 and the energy source would rice hulls and a shrub. In the first quarter the first tests are planned.

Source: 'La Nación'