After receiving a ruling opposing the international arbitration disputed with Teco Energy, the New York State Supreme Court ordered the seizure of $15.75 million from Guatemala.
Teco Energy is a company that was a shareholder of Empresa Eléctrica de Guatemala and years ago claimed international arbitration, arguing that from 2008 to 2013 the National Energy Commission set a maximum amount that energy distribution companies could charge the user. This measure caused losses to the distributor.
Empresa Nacional de Energía Eléctrica de Honduras tenders for the supervision and management of projects to expand electrical substations and build new ones.
Due to changes in people's habits, energy consumption in commercial establishments, offices and industrial complexes has decreased, contrasting with the rise in demand in residential areas.
The quarantines and restrictions on mobility that Central America has experienced due to the covid-19 outbreak and the latent risk of contagion, has caused radical changes in the region's electricity market.
For the period from November 2020 to January 2021, Deocsa and Deorsa users will be charged an increase in the price of electricity of 1.5% and 1.6%, respectively.
In general terms, it is possible to indicate that for the following quarter the rates show minimal variations derived from the regular behavior of macroeconomic variables that have a direct incidence on the costs transferred to the rates, informed the National Commission of Electric Energy (CNEE).
The National Institute of Electrification of Guatemala tenders the construction of the 69 Kv transmission line that connects the Champerico electrical substation with the La Maquina substation, which has a length of 34 kilometers.
Due to the drop in economic activity generated by the covid-19 crisis, a 7.9% reduction in domestic electricity consumption was reported in the region between March and June 2020, when compared to the levels of the same period in 2019.
Regarding the reduction of internal consumption of electricity in the countries from March to June 2020, we have that Guatemala had a drop in its demand of 239 GWh (Gigawatt hours), which corresponds to 6.6% compared to the consumption of electricity in 2019, in the case of El Salvador with a reduction of 335 GWh, equivalent to 15.4%, says a report from the Regional Operating Agency (EOR).
For the quarter from August to October 2020 EEGSA users will have a drop in their tariff of -1.75% compared to the price of the second quarter of the year.
According to the document issued by the National Commission of Electric Energy (CNEE), between the quarter of May to July this year and the quarter of August to October 2020, the non-social tariff of EEGSA went from 1.32 to 1.28 Q/kWh, which represents a 1.75% decrease.
After Congress banned electricity distribution companies from disconnecting their services, in Guatemala the payment of energy provided by generators is in danger and the authorities assure that they are not contemplating temporarily financing the costs.
In the context of the health and economic crisis generated by covid-19, the deputies of Congress approved and published Decree 15-2020, which prohibits cuts in water, electricity, cable TV, telephone and Internet services during the state of calamity and its possible extensions.
For the quarter from May to July 2020, EEGSA users will have a -1.9% drop in their tariff compared to the price of the first quarter of the year, and for DEOCSA and DEORSA users the increase will be -0.5% and -0.6%, respectively.
Generally, it is possible to indicate that, for the following quarter, tariffs show a stable scenario with downward variations, derived from the behavior of certain variables that have direct incidence on generation costs, informed the National Commission of ElectricEnergy (CNEE).
If the quarantine and mobility restriction measures are extended by two months, it is forecast that by the end of the year the annualized demand for electricity generation, transmission and distribution in Central America will have fallen by 4%.
The "Information System for the Impact Analysis of Covid-19 on Business", prepared by the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData, measures the degree of impact that the crisis will have on companies according to their sector or economic activity, considering various scenarios for the coming months.
During 2019, electricity purchase and sale transactions between Central American countries amounted to 3,074 GWh, a 14% increase compared to 2018.
Figures from the Regional Operating Entity (EOR) show that the average price recorded in regional transactions during 2018 and 2019 also increased, going from $74.05 per MWh to $90.11 per MWh.
In Guatemala, a group of deputies filed an unconstitutionality action against the ministerial agreement approving the Rocja Pontila hydroelectric project.
The authorization for the hydroelectric plant, owned by the Pontila Integrated Development Project and planned to be built on the Icbolay River in Alta Verapaz, was issued on January 13, 2020.
For the quarter from February to April, tariffs will remain stable because certain variables with a direct impact on generation costs do not show significant changes.
Between -0.01% and -0.03%, variations will oscillate for EEGSA, DEOCSA and DEORSA users, informed the National Commission of Electric Energy (CNEE).
Arguing that there is a risk that energy transactions in the region will become more expensive, Guatemalan businessmen are asking the outgoing government to refrain from approving or signing reforms to the Central American Electricity Market Framework Treaty.
Because on January 10 the discussion is programmed within the Director Council of the Regional Electric Market of Central America (CDMER), the subscription of the Third Protocol, which would reform the Framework Treaty of the Electric Market, the private sector of Guatemala has issued an alarm before any change in the regulations, since it could cause increases in the prices of energy transactions or generate negative effects in the Guatemalan market and its interconnection with Mexico.
Between January and November, electricityconsumption reached 9,794 GWh, a 3% increase over the same period in 2018.
The report of the Wholesale Market Manager (AMM) indicates that 428 GWh were exported to Mexico and 1,521 GWh to the regional market (Mer). Sales to both destinations, in relation to last year, suffered 25.2% and 8.1% drop, respectively.