Increase in electricity come to 700,000 subscribers of ICE

ARESEP approved an increase of 8.14 ¢ per kWh, which governed for a month

Coopesantos and ESPH are others who requested adjustments to 110,000 customer

February 20th,2015

About 700,000 subscribers ICE feel a blow in his pocket, because the coming week with a rise of 9% on their electric bills.

Thereafter, a family that consumes on average 200 kilowatt hours (kWh) per month must pay additional ¢ 1,628. Your receipt will increase from ¢ 16,600 to ¢ 18,228, for every kWh 8.14 ¢ be more expensive than today.

This adjustment was approved yesterday by the Regulatory Authority for Public Services (Aresep) and governed from its publication in the Official Gazette, next week.

The electricity tariff Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) and other distribution consists of two items: one responds to operating and maintenance costs; the second, to expenses for purchase of fuel for power generation (variable cost of fuel, CVC).

Although ARESEP said the increase will be 11% for the ICE, that percentage will only apply to the component of operating costs and maintenance.

So in this case, the final amount to be paid by customers vary only 9%.

Lower. In July, the chief executive of ICE, Carlos Obregón, and the president Luis Guillermo Solis, promised that electricity rates would remain stable for 18 months, so that would not happen kWh 91 ¢.

With the rise approved yesterday, the kWh went from 83 ¢ to ¢ 91.14.

And that the adjustment of 11% on operating costs was not intended by the ICE, the previous October 10 ARESEP negotiated with 13.2% over that component , considering that probably the CVC rather suffer any rebate.

This item CVC will automatically from 1 April increase and to calculate it, ARESEP will consider how he spent the ICE on fuel imports during the previous three months.

Carolina Mora, spokeswoman Regulatory, agreed that the climatic conditions and the non-use of bunker for thermal generation will likely lead to a decrease in CVC and therefore a low tariff from its application in April.

Industrialists are the ones who have insisted warn about the high cost of electricity, because it is a major factor, say, forcing closures and uncompetitive.

Enrique Egloff, president of the Chamber of Industries, described as "disproportionate" the petition of 13.2% of ICE and criticized the entity had extra winnings in 2014 and, therefore, rather should reduce charges.

More Increases. The increase in light also affect the subscribers of the Public Service Company of Heredia (ESPH).

The company requested an increase of 9.41% for its 70,000 customers, so that the average family (which consumes 200 kWh per month) will pay ¢ 1,000 more, your receipt will increase from ¢ 11,600 to ¢ 12,600.

The request contained 4.8% more to cover energy purchases ICE (between October 2014 and December 2015) and 4.5% for own costs.

"There is a pending backlog because we ICE increased prices, and own expenses (...) It is important to note that for 2016 a reduction of 2.42% on the proposed rates for 2015 seeks" said Francisco Angulo spokesman ESPH. The ESPH request was submitted to a public hearing two days ago, so the new prices governed since April.

Coopesantos is another utility that handles an adjustment to ARESEP. Where appropriate, those affected would be about 40,000 customers in nine cantons: The Guarco, Cartago, Dota, Tarrazú, León Cortés, Acosta, Homeless, Aserrí and Mora.

The increase would be 7.66%, but would apply only about 35% of the rate corresponding to energy purchases to ICE. In this case, a household with average consumption would cancel ¢ 16,000, about ¢ 17,226.

Coopesantos generates 31% of its power from hydroelectric plants (by the consortium Coneléctricas), and another 34% is produced in the Wind Park Los Santos. "The generate own sources allows us to be more independent and not have to transfer both CVC consumers," said Juan Castro, office communication.

"This increase is to compensate those who applied ICE us since September 2014 and have not yet been transferred to partners because ARESEP had not approved it," said Castro.

The claim of this cooperative will have the sitting on 11 March to govern in April.

In the Compañía Nacional de Fuerza y Luz (CNFL), its 520,000 subscribers just suffered a rise in the receipt, after the January 14 ARESEP approve an increase of 6.6%.

Source:"La Nación"