Local authorities announced plans to build in the province of Colon the Gatun Generating Station, an energy complex that will operate with liquefied natural gas and will require a $1,000 million investment.
The morning of June 1, President Laurentino Cortizo Cohen explained that this project will require a foreign investment from Group Energy Gas Panama, a consortium formed by InterEnergy Group and AES Panama.
In the Dominican Republic, a definitive concession was granted to Levital Group Inversor for the development of a photovoltaic project in the city of Azua, with a $45 million estimated investment.
From the press release of the National Energy Commission:
December 13th, 2018. The Dominican Government, through the National Energy Commission, granted a definitive concession for the development of a photovoltaic project in the city of Azua, with an investment amount of US$45 million and with the capacity to generate 40 nominal MW. Signing the Concession Contract oversaw the Executive Director of the CNE, Ángel Canó, while Levital Group Inversor was represented by Jaime Llinares Leicht.
In the last ten years the use of renewable energy has doubled in the country, and currently sources of generation of this type represent between 65% and 70% of national consumption.
According to the authorities at the National Electricity Commission (CNEE), the stability that has been achieved in electricity rates and the lower dependence on oil derivatives, is due to the fact that the country is consuming more energy generated through renewable sources.
After requesting an extension to postpone the date of entry into operations, authorities at AES Panama confirmed that the plant will begin operations on September 1.
Construction of the plant started in May 2016 and will have three generators, three gas turbines and one steam turbine, reaching a total installed capacity of 381 MW.
Construction projects for water treatment plants, and extensions to the Metro and the airport, are works that will considerably increase demand for electricity in the coming years.
According to the National Interconnected System Plan 2017-2031, construction of several water purification plants in different areas around the country will increase demand for electricity, as they are "...
The plan to reduce subsidies on electricity tariffs could be executed within four years, between 2018 and 2022, and in coordination with the business sector.
The Ortega administration's plan is to start with revision of the current subsidy schemes and develop a strategy to reduce them gradually.
Bayardo Arce Castaño, adviser of Economic and Financial Affairs at the Presidency, explained: "...The IDB is going to lend us $65 million to make progress in the regulation of the electricity sector.The idea is that this reorganization take place between 2018 and 2022.It is not that tomorrow or the first of January of 2018 the subsidy will be removed or the rate lowered or raised, it is not like that.This is a four-year affair. "
A new report by the Ministry of Energy and Mines provides detailed statistics on the electricity subsector, the generation matrix for 2011-2016, and data on renewable energy, among other things.
From the Introduction of the report entitled "Guatemala's New Energy Statistics Module", by the Ministry of Energy and Mines:
The purpose of this Energy Module is to show, in a synthetic way, the behavior of the main variables of the energy sector, especially the electricity subsector, which includes electricity generation by type of source and consumption of fuels used for said generation; effective installed capacity and power demand in the National Interconnected System; Supply and Consumption of electrical energy, imports and exports of energy, and electricity tariffs at the national and regional levels. Likewise, general aspects of renewable energies in electricity generation are shown, with an emphasis on solar and wind power.
The change in the energy matrix towards renewable sources is at risk "because of social unrest and systemic opposition to the development that Guatemala so desperately needs."
From the executive summary of the report"Impact of ungovernability and systemic opposition to renewable electricity generators and their socio economic effects locally and nationally both now and in the future 2015-2030":
The current national accounts methodology could be causing an underestimation of the value and potential of an industry that has become a success.
In his article in Ca-bi.com, Paulo de León objects to the failure to update the Guatemalan national accounts system, resulting in an underestimation of the weight of the sector in the Guatemalan economy, as that system does not incorporate the shift in the energy matrix towards renewable energy.
The lack of clarity about the future of the concession of the Tumarín hydroelectric project may be forcing other investment projects in the energy market to be put on hold.
The Ortega administration has not yet announced what process will be followed in order to re start the 253 MW hydroelectric construction project, whose concession was awarded directly by the government to the consortium made up of Eletrobras and Queiroz Galvao.
The plan is to implement longer terms in contracts and release energy and power demand from large customers.
The Energy Plan 2015-2020 presented by the National Secretariat of Energy in Panama is broken down into two main parts: first, the Short-Term Operational Plan 2015-2019, where proposals for the period are detailed, and second, the National energy Scenarios Plan 2015-2020, including projections of fuel prices and other energy sources and demand estimates, expected changes in the energy matrix and the future role of private companies in the energy system.
Entrepreneurs are invited to take part in the sixth edition of ExpoEnergía, to be held from June 7 to 11 at the Convention Center in San Pedro Sula.
The Ministry of Energy, Natural Resources, Environment and Mining (My Environment) in Honduras is convening the sixth edition of ExpoEnergía, to be held from June 7 to 11 at the Convention Center in San Pedro Sula.
In the next 35 years more than $11 billion will need to be invested in new projects in order to meet electricity demand, which is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 5%.
Projections by the General Secretariat of Energy also indicate the need to invest in replacing power lines every ten years, with an estimated $3 billion of investment within 35 years.
On October 20th and 21st entrepreneurs from the region will gather together in Panama City to discuss issues such as the electricity market rules, new and renewable energy projects.
From a statement issued by the International Symposium on Energy:
This year the 8th. International Symposium on Energy seeks to promote spaces for reflection on energy issues, to help analyze the performance and limitations of developing new projects, build consensus, define the options for the energy market and, finally, develop a social impact using the media.
Gator Partners has obtained a provisional license to build in Bahia Las Minas, Panama, a power plant with a capacity of 400MW, based on ethane.
Gator Partners is planning to build and operate a power plant called "Térmica Energía Corotú" which will operate using ethane gas with a combined cycle plant with a capacity of 400MW.
The project sponsor, Gator Partners LataAm SA is a public limited company established in the Township of Panama City and was registered on November 11, 2014, with the Folio No. 155 585 316. The legal representative is a Panamanian, Oguel Alejandro Suero.