Adding a capacitor bank and installing a transmission line are part of the energy projects for which environmental impact studies were presented in November 2015.
The report "Construction Projects in Panama - November 2016", prepared by the Business Intelligence unit at CentralAmericaData.com, provides a detailed list of major the construction projects for which environmental impact assessment (EIA) studies were presented in November to the Ministry of Environment in Panama.
The Ministry of the Presidency of Panama is putting out to tender the supply, transportation, delivery and installation of materials and equipment for electrical distribution lines in the province of Cocle.
Panama Government Purchase 2016-0-03-0-02-LV-020165:
"Design, supply, assembly, testing and commissioning of medium voltage aerial lines in voltages of 4.16 / 2.4 KV, 13.2 / 7.62 kV or 34.5 / 19.9 KV respectively as appropriate;.
The Electricity Transmission Company of Panama is putting out to tender a supply of power autotransformers, equipment, materials and services for static reactive power compensators.
Panama Government Purchase 2015-2-78-0-99-LP-006214:
"Supply of equipment, materials and reactive static power compensator services (SVC / STATCOM) in the substations Panama II and Llano Sanchez, 230 kV."
Building a road connecting Panama with South America through Colombia would open up a wide range of opportunities for business and economic development in Central America.
EDITORIAL
Panama has the responsibility to take on the challenge of building a road through the jungle area of the Panamanian territory and open up a channel of communication with Colombia, to allow the power transmission and the connectivity of people and goods Centralamerica needs with the south.
The Panamanian Ministry of the Environment has hired a consultant to assess the risks and costs of the choice of route for the transmission line proposed by the binational company Interconexión Eléctrica Colombia Panamá.
The Ministry hired an international consulting firm to undertake the analysis of costs and risks of the proposal submitted by Interconexión Eléctrica Colombia Panamá (ICP), which was already approved by Colombia and only requires approval from Panama before it can go ahead.
Planned investments in the electricity transmission grid and interconnections with its neighbors could position Panama as a regional power distribution center.
Added to the construction of the third transmission line, estimated at $300 million-and whose works are 49% complete according to an announcement in May by the Electricity Transmission Company - comes a fourth line, to be built on the Atlantic area of the country.
An extension has been given to the concession area of the distributor Edechi, which from July 1 will begin with the plan to improve the network in Changuinola, Almirante, Guabito, Las Tablas and other areas in the province of Bocas del Toro.
The improvements initially include a work plan for network maintenance. The demand it will cover is 14MW, covering a total of 12,000 customers, with an investment of $22 million over five years, including new cables, substations and lighting.
"The region still needs to install at least 7,000 MW by the end of the decade and make investments of between $12,000 million and $18,000 million."
While in Panama the energy supply needed to meet the demand of its growing economy falls short, to the north of the region, in Guatemala, there is surplus energy but generators are unable to sell it due to the lack of regulations governing the futures contracts and because the Siepac (Regional Electricity Transmission System) project is still does not working 100%.
$100 million has been approved for the Electricity Transmission Company to finance construction of new power transmission lines of 115 kv and 230 kv, expansion of existing lines and new physical structures.
From a statement issued by the National Economic Council (CENA):
The National Economic Council (CENA) has given approval to the Electricity Transmission Company (ETESA) for a total of 100 million dollars to finance 18 projects that are part of the investment plan which focuses on improving the electricity transmission network in the country, informed the Minister Economy and Finance, Dulcidio De La Guardia.
In Panama awards were given to Vimac SA and Celmec SA for a contract for carrying out replacement works and addition of replacement equipment in substations and transmission lines.
Empresa de Transmisión Electrica, S.A. (Etesa) awarded to Vimac SA a contract to replace a 230 KW transmission line, valued at $20.4 million and Celmec SA for replacement of a 34.5 KW reactor at the MAta de Nance substation and replacement of 34.5 KW circuit breakers at Substation Progress for $1.6 million.
With a loan from the Development Bank of Latin America the Expansion Plan for the Main Electric Transmission System in Panama will run during the 2014-2017 period.
From a statement issued by Empresa de Transmisión Eléctrica S.A (ETESA):
CAF- the development bank of Latin America, and Empresa de Transmisión Eléctrica S.A (ETESA): have signed a financing agreement for $100 million for implementation of the Expansion Plan of the Main Electric Transmission System in Panama during the 2014-2017 period.
"Of the 4,115 GWh imported from Guatemala to Panama, more than 80% could have been obtained from the accumulated water on Lake Arenal in Costa Rica".
The lack of more and better transmission lines between Costa Rica and Panama prevents the sale of the surplus energy which it is foreseen will be generated in Costa Rica once operations start of the new generation plants Chucas, Torito, Capulin, Reventazón, Bijagua, Orosi and expansion of La Joya.
A loan from the Development Bank of Latin America will finance improvements to the power transmission capacity of the national grid.
From a statement issued by the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF):
CAF -the development bank of Latin American is providing funding in the amount of $100 million to the Electricity Transmission Company SA (ETESA) to contribute to efforts to increase the power transmission capacity of the National Interconnected System (SIN) of Panama.
The Darien Gap will be avoided, with analysis being undertaken of a route through the Embera Wounaan area and another which is completely coastal, which had initially been ruled out.
Projections are to carry out the design and route for the 600 kilometer line in 2015.
Ivan Barria, CEO of the Electricity Transmission Company, told Prensa.com that "...
Empresa de Transmisión Eléctrica de Panamá is putting out to tender transmission replacement and addition of equipment in substation and transmission lines in the Mata Nance and Progreso projects.
Panama Government Purchase 2014-2-78-0-99-LP-004966:
"Replacement and addition of equipment in substations and transmission line replacement in project Mata Nance Progreso 230 Kv."