In Panama during May 2020 the demand for electricity from the commercial sector bottomed out, as consumption fell to 195 million kwh due to the pandemic, but in the following months the figures improved and in November the turnover rose to 297 million kwh.
Although the cumulative figures from January to November 2020 show that consumption in commercial establishments fell by 26% compared to the same period last year, a significant recovery was reported in the last months of last year.
Partly determined by the behavior of the energy supply from thermal sources, between January and October 2018 and the same period in 2019 the electricity generation in Panama grew 120%.
According to the latest report of the General Comptroller's Office of Panama, in the first ten months of 2019 9,253 million kWh were generated, which is equivalent to an increase of 3% with respect to the 8,990 million offered in the same period of 2018.
Between January and August 2018 and the same period in 2019, electricity generation from hydraulic sources in Panama decreased by 40%.
According to the latest report of the General Comptroller's Office of Panama, in the first eight months of 2019 7,436 million kWh were generated, which is equivalent to a 3.3% increase over the 7,200 million offered in the same period of 2018.
From January to June 2019, 52 environmental impact studies were presented to carry out works on electricity networks and build power generation plants in different areas of Central American countries.
The interactive platform "Construction in Central America", compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData, includes an up to date list of public and private construction projects for which environmental impact studies (EIA) were submitted to the respective institutions of each country.
Partly determined by the behavior of the energy supply from thermal sources, between January and July 2018 and the same period in 2019 the electricity generation in Panama grew 4%.
According to the latest report of the General Comptroller of Panama, in the first seven months of 2019 were generated 6,503 million kwh, which is equivalent to a 3.6% increase over the 6,503 million offered in the same period of 2018.
The Costarican Institute of Electricity delivered the Las Pailas II Geothermal Plant located in Curubandé, Guanacaste province, at a $366 million cost.
According to projections, the work became more expensive and was delivered months late, since the 2016-2035 Generation Expansion Plan specifies that the plant had an initial cost of $335 million and was to begin operations in January 2019. The total final investment was $366 million.
Because of the behavior of the energy supply from thermal sources, between January and May 2018 and the same period in 2019 the generation of electricity in Panama increased 4%.
The latest report of the General Comptroller of Panama, details that in the first five months of 2019 were generated 4,634 million kwh, equivalent to a 3.9% increase over the 4,460 million offered in the same period of 2018.
In Central America and the Dominican Republic, the installed capacity of energy generation reaches nearly 20,000 MW, of which 62% correspond to clean sources.
Figures compiled by the Latin American Energy Organization (Olade) indicate that by 2017 the installed capacity of clean or renewable energy generators, including wind, hydro, solar and geothermal, exceeds non-renewable sources.
Because of the behavior of the energy supply from renewable sources, between 2017 and 2018 electricity generation increased by 2%.
The latest report of the General Comptroller of Panama, details that in 2018 were generated 10,783 million kwh, which is equivalent to a 1.8% increase over the 10,597 million offered in 2017.
In the first six months of the year, electricity consumption in Panama reported an increase of 3.2% compared to the same period in the previous year.
According to figures from the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic, between the first half of 2017 and the same period in 2018, the country reported an increase in electricity consumption, rising from 5,200,849 thousand Kwh to 5,366,318 thousand Kwh.
During the first four months of the year, 64% of electricity was generated from hydraulic sources, 21% from thermal, 10% from wind, 2% from solar and 2% was from self-generation.
According to the most recent figures from the Comptroller General of Panama, in April 2018, 908 million kwh were generated, equivalent to an increase of 3.3% compared to the 879 million supplied in the same month in 2017.
With 19% endemic poverty, 10% open unemployment and 40% informal employment, and some of the highest electricity rates in the region, Costa Rica is opposed to $1 billion in clean energy investments.
EDITORIAL
By Jorge Cobas González
Meanwhile, the bureaucracy of state-owned companies continues to prescribe first-world remuneration, and continues to protect its privileges following ECLAC development concepts from the middle of the last century, which are utterly out of place today.Because Costa Rica does not have the investment capacity or know-how necessary for the development of latest generation renewable energy projects, even though it has all of the necessary primary conditions: sun, wind, thermal energy.
In 2016, the average cost of 1 kWh in Central America was 13.48 cents, while in Costa Rica, it was 18.47 cents.
A report from the CEPAL indicates that in 2016, the average cost of one kilowatt hour (kWh) in Central America was 13.48 cents, while in Costa Rica it was 18.47 cents; 37% more for industrial consumption of 100,000 kWh.In El Salvador and Guatemala, it was 11.03 and 11.54 cents respectively. In Panama, 10.92 cents.
In the month of July nine companies received commercial authorization as Large Users in the Wholesale Market.
From a Bulletin by the Wholesale Market Authority:
During the month of July, authorization was granted to Mercado Mayorista la Unidad 1 del Proyecto HidroXacbal Delta, with an installed capacity of 29.22MW, and to Generador Distribuido Renovable Hidroeléctrica Cutzán with an installed capacity of 1.95MW.
Between May 2016 and the same month in 2017, 27 environmental impact studies were presented in the countries of the region for development of energy generation projects.
The interactive platform "Construction in Central America", compiled by the Business Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData, includes an up to date list of public and private construction projects for which environmental impact studies (EIA) were submitted to the respective institutions in each country.