In Costa Rica a 37 MW hydroelectric project whose estimated cost was $94 million, ended up costing the state $361 million due to poor supervision and control of the work.
The public report of the preliminary investigation on Balsa Inferior Hydroelectric Project, prepared by the Compañia Nacional de Fuerza y Luz, found "... serious irregularities and omissions in the supervision and control of the work, which was described as ´'informal' in the company's investigation."
Officials in Honduras are negotiating a $70 million loan with the World Bank for a fifth turbine in the hydroelectric station El Cajon.
The process for installing the 75 MW turbine was going to be developed through a concession, but the plans have been changed and now the government has announced that it will be tendered, after negotiating funds with the World Bank, for the installation of the turbine in the plant.
Between $116.30 and $178.49 is the price range per MW / h in the contracts awarded to nine hydroelectric generators in Guatemala, which are using solar and biomass energy, for 11 distribution lines.
Of the 18 proposals received, Energuate awarded contracts to the companies Tunkaj, Broker Gas, Impulso Inversionista de Guatemala, Punta del Cielo, Compañía de Servicios y Combustión Industrial, Hidro El Coroz, Hidro Maza, Hidro Carmen Amalia and Compañía Agrícola OV, for the generation of 18 MW. It is expected that the new plants will start operating between 1 May 2015 and late 2016.
A reduction has been made from 10% to 5.5% on the municipal tax payable by companies building dams worth $50 million or more in the district of Bugaba, Chiriqui.
The Municipal Council in Chiriquí Bugaba, has repealed all municipal charges related to taxes, and established a new tax regime, which includes a reduction of the fees to be paid by hydroelectric projects.
CABEI has provided a partial credit guarantee of $669,000 to Financiera de Occidente to hedge financing of the mini hydropower project being developed by Ingenio Magdalena in Guatemala.
The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE) through the project "Accelerating Investments in Renewable Energy in Central America and Panama (ARECA)", has provided a partial credit guarantee to Financiera de Occidente SA (Fidosa), for an amount of U.S.
The award was given to the company Macano II Hydroelectric for the construction and operation of a 4.15 MW hydroelectric plant called RP-550, in the province of Chiriqui.
From a statement issued by the National Authority of Public Services:
Resolved to:
"...FIRST: AWARD to the business HIDROELÉCTRICA MACANO II, S.A., registered in the Listing 833362, Document 2597272, of the Microfilm Section of the Public Commercial Registry of Panama, Rights to Concession for the construction and operation of the hydropower plant called RP- 550, which use the waters of the River Piedra, located in the village of Paraiso and Guayabal and district of Boqueron, Chiriqui Province, with an installed capacity of 4.15 MW. "
The grant is for the construction and operation of a hydroelectric station of 4MW known as Analida in the province of Cocle.
From a statement issued by the National Authority of Public Services Panama:
Resolution:
"...FIRST: AWARD to the company HIDROELÉCTRICA RÍO CHICO, S.A., registered on Listing 833361, Document 2597265, in the Mercantile Microfilm Section of the Public Registry of Panama, rights to a concession for the construction and operation of the hydropower plant called Analida, using the waters of the river Chico, located in the village Las Huacas, Capellania and La Toza, District of Nata, Cocle Province, with an installed capacity of 4 MW. "
In the first five months of the year the country bought nineteen times more energy than the in the whole of 2012 and in 2015 it is projected that 200 MW will be purchased abroad.
While it is expected that in the coming years several renewable energy generation projects will start up, Panama is already planning to alleviate possible shortages in the short term by importing energy from neighboring countries.
The National Electricity Transmission Company (Empresa Nacional de Transmisión Eléctrica) requires small hydro stations to sign a collaboration agreement and grant a general power to the State.
The Electricity Transmission Company (Enatrel) requires Small Hydro Power stations (SHPs) to sign a cooperation agreement and grant a general power of business to the state.
With an investment of $13 million the Municipality of San Pedro Sacatepec, in San Marcos, will build a hydroelectric plant.
According to the local mayor, Carlos Bautista, the feasibility study for the construction of the plant will be presented this week. The project is being funded by the South Korean government.
Bautista explained that the water resource to be used is the Naranjo River, which originates in Corral Grande.
The hydroelectric potential of the Usumacinta River, which runs through Guatemala and Mexico, is only partially exploited.
Guatemala has commented that there is a possibility of building four small hydropower stations on the Usumacinta River, which would generate 800 megawatts of electricity in total.
Regarding the placement of buildings, "... the Usumacinta passes through a land division which on the Guatemalan side has less height than the bank located in the territory of Mexico.For this reason, the reservoir needed for the construction of a hydropower station would spill onto Guatemalan territory, in an area where there are Mayan ruins of first importance. One of the projects presented many years ago meant the disappearance or flooding of Piedras Negras, and that was one of the reasons why the plan was abandoned, in addition to its high cost," noted an editorial published by Prensalibre.com.
The National Authority of Public Services has authorized Darrin Business SA, to construct and operate a run-of-river hydroelectric station in the Chiriqui province.
From information published by the National Authority of Public Services (ASEP) in Panama:
GENERAL ADMINISTRATOR, in exercise of its statutory powers, RESOLVES:
FIRST: to award to DARRIN BUSINESS Company, SA, registered on card 603430, Document 1292361 since February 15, 2008, on the Mercantile Microfilm Section of the Public Registry, rights of concession for the construction and operation of a hydroelectric station called INDIA VIEJA, which will use the waters of the River Los Valles, located in the village of Jaramillo, Boquete, Chiriqui, to generate up to 2 MW.
Generating electricity by exploiting the potential of the rivers in Guatemala has a promising present and future.
The latest tenders to be put out for the supply of electricity in Guatemala, demonstrate the interest of local and foreign investors in participating in a good business proposition.
Of the bids submitted in the second tender, whose technical proposals were opened last week, the largest volume was from coal-fired generation (290 MW), followed by hydro (239 MW). 210 MW hydro-power has already been awarded to companies In the first tender.
The government of Guatemala has promised to support power projects promoted by cooperatives in rural areas.
Over 10 projects for small hydroelectric facilities are being encouraged by the Confederation of Guatemalan Cooperatives Federation, with the support of the U.S. Federation of Cooperatives for Electricity Generation.
There are now three such projects which are operating in Huehuetenango.
The financial potential of cooperatives in Guatemala will revolve around the development of renewable energy projects.
The groups belonging to the Guatemalan Confederation of Cooperative Associations, RL (Confecoop), have projects, funding and implementation programs for the construction of small hydroelectric plants, whose owners are cooperatives.
"We have made the final adjustments to the investment plan and contributions to the main supply, and we hope to present the project in June," said Rodolfo Orozco, executive director of Confecoop to Prensalibre.com. However, Orozco did not say how many mini plants will be built.