La República

Limit to produce only 35% of demand is the main complaint of employers
Sparks arise in electrical opening debate
There is room to listen to the demands of private producers, says Minister of the Presidency

Esteban Arrieta This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

A few days passed before the first sparks were generated around the bill introduced by the Government to open the electricity market.
The downloads come from private companies that produce energy at present. The main complaint is the production limit posed by the project, since only be allowed to supply 35% of demand.
He also questioned the inability to market their surplus would whoever you wish within and outside the country, since they are forced to sell them at the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE).
"We made a first review and what we found does not meet our expectations. For example, cooperatives are now investing millions to meet electricity demand in our communities and generate a surplus, but the new law would prohibit selling the remains as we want, what causes us to recover the investment problems, " Erick said Rojas, manager of the National Consortium for Rural Electrification Cooperatives (Coneléctricas).
This situation is detrimental to the users, because the only way that electric cooperatives would be to increase the user fees, lamented Rojas.
Cause further distress that he would give the state agency stewardship, planning and market regulation.
"When ICE is being given a lot of advantages with the rules presented. The law has been proposed is tricky, you have to work and study deeply because it requires adjustments, "questioned Mario Alvarado, executive director of the Costa Rican Association of Energy Producers.
Another concern they generate the plan for opening a cooperative is related to the inability to keep their older partners when the market opens.
"For example, a large hotel in Guanacaste, which now buys its energy Coopeguanacaste with the opening and decided to buy electricity from another company, would generate a lot of pressure on the cooperative, forcing her to shift the losses to residential consumers" said Rojas.
Because of concerns they have with the power project submitted to the legislative power by the Government, employers sent their own Members.
Although he sent his version of the future that aims to give the power sector, the Government is open to hearing the concerns that money the various parties involved in the market. The purpose is to ensure electricity for decades and not create a short circuit, is the slogan of the executive branch, said Marco Vargas, Minister of the Presidency.
Even in the Legislature joined a special commission to examine the issue and which was granted within six months to create a text with the greatest possible support.